Riyadh Airport Shutdown Cuts Saudi Air Cargo; Suez Transits Rise

· Logistics · Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has lost almost a third of its international air cargo capacity over the past three days as Riyadh's airport shutdown disrupts shipments and heightened airspace risks complicate routing options. Rotate data showed combined inbound and outbound capacity on freighters and widebody passenger aircraft affected by the disruption. In a related shift for the region's trade lanes, Suez Canal transits are on the rise even as Houthi-Saudi hostilities escalate, with analyst Linerlytica expecting a full-scale return to the Red Sea route within the first quarter of 2027. The two developments illustrate how conflict in the region is simultaneously constraining air cargo and gradually reopening the main sea corridor between Asia and Europe.

Why it matters：Saudi Arabia's air cargo gateway and the Red Sea corridor are both central to Europe-Asia trade, so shifting capacity and routing choices will ripple through air and ocean supply chains.

Key points

  • Saudi Arabia lost almost a third of international air cargo capacity in three days
  • Riyadh airport shutdown disrupted shipments and complicated routing amid airspace risks
  • Suez transits are rising, with a full Red Sea return expected in Q1 2027

Sources (original reporting)

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