News - Yemen: The Director of Sana'a International Airport, Khaled Al-Shaif, has said that the continued air blockade imposed by the Saudi-led coalition remains the primary obstacle preventing the airport from resuming operations, firmly rejecting claims that the suspension is due to a lack of aircraft.

In a statement, Al-Shaif said that around 42,000 Yemeni citizens have been deprived of travel since May this year as a result of the airport’s closure. He noted that 280 flights were scheduled to operate during the most recent closure period but were cancelled due to the ongoing ban.

Al-Shaif explained that the shutdown has reignited Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, particularly affecting patients, students, and residency permit holders, forcing them back into the severe hardship they endured prior to the April 2022 de-escalation. He stressed that the closure has had a direct impact on the humanitarian and living conditions of thousands of families.

He described the continued air ban on Sana'a International Airport as an arbitrary measure by the coalition, lacking any legal or humanitarian justification, and constituting a clear violation of the internationally guaranteed right to freedom of movement.

Al-Shaif emphasized that once the air blockade is lifted, ready-made alternatives and solutions are in place to immediately restart airport operations and resume flights, easing civilian suffering and restoring part of normal life for Yemenis.

He reaffirmed that Sana'a International Airport is a purely civilian service facility, warning that its continued closure amounts to collective punishment against the Yemeni people. He called for the airport to be insulated from political considerations and for the immediate lifting of the air blockade.

Sanaa International Airport has faced repeated closures and restrictions since the outbreak of the US-Saudi aggression in Yemen, with limited operations briefly resuming following the UN-brokered truce in April 2022. The renewed suspension has intensified humanitarian concerns amid Yemen’s ongoing crisis.