Saudi Skies Stay Shut For Air India, Flight Cancellations Extended To October 20
· Free Press Journal
New Delhi: Air India has extended the cancellation of flights to and from Saudi Arabia until October 20, 2026, as escalating regional tensions disrupt travel to the Gulf country.
The suspension covers Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah. The airline said it was monitoring developments and assessing conditions before deciding when operations could safely resume.
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In a statement on X on Friday, Air India said all its services connecting the three Saudi cities would remain cancelled through October 20.
The airline and Air India Express had earlier cancelled Saudi Arabia flights until October 17. The latest announcement extends Air India’s suspension by three days.
The new advisory specifically names Air India’s Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah operations. It does not announce a revised resumption date for Air India Express.
Full Refunds For Affected Passengers
Air India said passengers impacted by the cancellations were being offered full refunds.
The carrier added that the evolving security situation remained under continuous review, with safety determining the timing of any restart.
The cancellation deadline therefore marks the period covered by the announcement, rather than a guarantee that flights will restart immediately afterwards.
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Other Indian airlines have also prolonged service disruptions to Saudi Arabia.
IndiGo announced on Thursday that its flight cancellations would continue until October 24.
Akasa Air extended the suspension of all services to and from Riyadh until October 24. Its Jeddah flights will remain suspended until October 21.
The differing deadlines mean travellers should check the advisory applicable to their airline and destination, particularly where bookings involve separate services or connecting journeys.
Security Concerns Disrupt Gulf Travel
The cancellations follow drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthis targeting civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh airport has also faced multiple attacks as tensions have intensified in recent days.
Air India said it would continue assessing developments to support the safe resumption of its affected Saudi operations.