WWE’s Crown Jewel situation in Saudi Arabia just picked up another major headache. With the company supposed to be in Riyadh on November 7, the U.S. Embassy is now warning Americans to use “extreme caution” at Saudi airports — and Riyadh’s main airport remains shut down.
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh issued the new security alert on October 22 as attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis continue. The warning specifically points to civilian airports and critical infrastructure as targets and says the situation could escalate quickly.
“Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. The hostilities have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area.”
That’s obviously a pretty serious problem for WWE considering Crown Jewel is supposed to take place in Riyadh in just over two weeks. Getting the roster into the country is one thing, but the U.S. government is now putting additional restrictions on its own personnel when it comes to using Saudi airports.
“U.S. government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization from Chief of Mission to use any airport in Saudi Arabia following recent missile and UAV attacks on airports in the Kingdom.”
The biggest concern for WWE is King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Despite previously beginning limited operations following earlier attacks, the latest Embassy alert says operations at the airport are once again suspended.
“Operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh remain suspended. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam are operational with some delays and cancellations.”
That leaves Jeddah and Dammam as operational options, but even those airports aren’t exactly running normally. The Embassy says both are dealing with delays and cancellations as the security situation continues.
Americans considering air travel in the country are now being told to exercise “extreme caution.” The Embassy specifically warned about the possibility of more attacks, closed airspace and flights suddenly being canceled.
“U.S. citizens should be aware of potential attacks on airports, airspace closures, flight cancellations, and travel disruptions. Please take extreme caution if you choose to use airports in Saudi Arabia. We recommend checking your flight departure status directly with the airline and with the airport.”
The alert also advises Americans in Saudi Arabia to pay attention to emergency warnings issued by the country’s Civil Defense. With the situation capable of changing quickly, those alerts could become particularly important for anyone already inside the country.
“U.S. citizens are reminded to follow the guidance of national alerts released by Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense via cellular broadcast.”
This comes just one day after the U.S. government ordered non-emergency diplomatic personnel and family members to leave Saudi Arabia amid the growing security threat. A drone targeting the Shaybah oil field was also intercepted on October 21, with falling debris killing two foreign workers and injuring two others.
None of this means Crown Jewel has been canceled or moved. WWE still has the November 7 show listed for Riyadh, and the company hasn’t announced any change to those plans.
The problem is that WWE now has a very real travel issue staring it in the face, with Riyadh’s main airport shut down and the U.S. Embassy explicitly warning people to use extreme caution at Saudi airports. Crown Jewel is still more than two weeks away, but getting an entire roster, crew and production operation safely into Riyadh is becoming a much bigger question with every new security update.
What do you think WWE should do about Crown Jewel now that the U.S. Embassy is warning Americans to use extreme caution at Saudi airports? Let us know in the comments below.
