Saudia Pilot Killed in Riyadh Airport Attack, Airline Confirms

If you’ve been following the news out of Riyadh this week, there’s a sad update. Saudia, the Kingdom’s national carrier, has confirmed that one of its own pilots lost his life in Thursday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport.

The airline named him as Captain Hamoud Ali Al-Kalthami. The announcement came through a statement on Saudia’s social media accounts, a sign of how fast-moving and raw this story still is.

For many people in Kuwait with family, friends or colleagues flying through Saudi airports regularly, this hits close to home. Here’s what we know so far.

What Saudia actually said

In its statement, Saudia confirmed that Captain Al-Kalthami was killed on Thursday in the incident at King Khalid International Airport. The airline didn’t explain the exact circumstances of his death, and it’s also unclear what his specific job or rank was within the company.

Saudia also confirmed that one of its aircraft was damaged while parked on the ground at the airport. Importantly, the airline said there were no passengers aboard that aircraft when it was hit, which limited the scale of what could have been a far worse outcome.

The airline offered its condolences to Captain Al-Kalthami’s family, loved ones and colleagues, and acknowledged what it called his contributions throughout his career with the flag carrier.

What the aviation authority is saying

Saudia’s statement followed an earlier update from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), which said King Khalid International Airport had come under attack twice on Thursday.

According to GACA, the first attack hit airport facilities directly. The second was aimed at a Saudia aircraft, which lines up with the damaged plane the airline later confirmed.

GACA said the combined attacks killed three Saudi nationals and injured a number of people, describing them as Saudi citizens and residents of various nationalities. Those hurt were taken to hospital for treatment. The authority hasn’t released further details on the injured or their current condition.

This is part of a wider pattern of strikes on Saudi airports this week, which has already affected travellers from several nationalities caught up in the attacks, and prompted warnings from foreign governments, including one where the US issued an alert to its citizens over Houthi threats to Saudi airports.

What this means if you’re flying to or from Saudi Arabia

For Kuwait residents with flights booked through Riyadh or other Saudi airports, this is a moment to double-check before you travel rather than cancel plans outright. Airports have already advised passengers to verify their flight status before heading out, and that advice still stands.

Airlines operating in the region, including Saudia, are likely to keep adjusting schedules as the security situation develops. If you have relatives or friends working at Saudi airports, particularly ground or flight crew, it’s worth checking in with them directly rather than relying only on headlines.

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