RIYADH – Friday, October 16, 2026: Indian airlines have extended flight suspensions to Saudi Arabia until late October, deepening travel disruption for thousands of passengers as the kingdom’s busiest airport remained shut amid the ongoing wave of Houthi missile and drone attacks.
Suspensions pushed to October 20-24
Air India announced on Friday that all its flights to and from Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah would remain cancelled until October 20, 2026, an extension from its earlier suspension that ran until October 17. The airline said in a post on X that it was closely monitoring the evolving situation and assessing security on the ground, and that affected passengers would be offered a full refund, trade sources said.
IndiGo went further on Thursday, extending its cancellations to and from four Saudi cities – Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah – until October 24, inclusive, citing the prevailing security situation in the Middle East. The country’s largest carrier said timely notifications were being sent to affected customers and that passengers could take a full refund credited within seven days or reschedule at no additional cost.
Akasa Air also revised its suspension schedule on Thursday: all flights to and from Riyadh were extended until October 24, and Jeddah until October 21. Like its rivals, the airline said passenger and crew safety remained its priority and offered refunds within seven days or free rescheduling.
Embassy issues fresh advisory
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh issued an updated advisory on Thursday urging the large Indian community in the kingdom to stay calm and remain indoors during any aerial attack. It warned nationals not to film, publish or share information related to missile and drone countermeasures, saying such acts could expose individuals to legal liability under local rules.
According to the embassy’s briefing, flight operations remained suspended at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while Dammam, Jeddah and Madinah airports continued operating with some disruptions. Air India, Air India Express, Akasa Air and IndiGo had all suspended services to and from Saudi Arabia, while Saudi Arabia’s own carriers kept limited routes running – Saudia continued scheduled services from Dammam, Jeddah and Madinah, and flynas operated flights on the Dammam-Lucknow sector.
The mission advised Indian nationals needing urgent departure to consider flights from neighbouring countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, though travellers would have to obtain the necessary entry visas themselves, officials said.
Toll from the October 10 airport attack
The advisory also gave an update on the Indian nationals caught in the deadly October 10 strike on Riyadh airport: one Indian national was killed and 11 were injured. Two remained in the intensive care unit, one was in a high-dependency unit, three were recovering in a normal ward, and one patient was discharged on Thursday, the embassy said.
The suspensions come as Houthi fighters continue to target Saudi aviation infrastructure – Riyadh’s main airport has been struck around 20 times this month, according to the Saudi-led coalition – leaving regional air travel in disarray and sending thousands of workers, business passengers and Umrah-bound pilgrims scrambling for alternatives.
