Air India, Air India Express Extend Saudi Flight Suspension Till November Amid Security Concerns

New Delhi: Air India and Air India Express have extended the suspension of services to and from Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia till November 7, citing the prevailing security situation in the region. As per both carriers, the operations to and from Jeddah will remain suspended till October 31.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed the revised suspension timelines in a statement on Saturday.

Earlier, other Indian carriers took similar steps, with Akasa Air extending the suspension of the Jeddah flights till November 10 and the Riyadh flights till November 30. IndiGo has also extended the cancellation of the flight services to Saudi Arabia amid security concerns, the Embassy confirmed on Friday.

Free Rebooking And Full Refund Offered To Passengers

In the announcement, Air India stated that the travellers holding confirmed tickets issued on or before October 24 will be eligible for flexible rebooking or a complete refund upon cancellation.

Following the declaration, the airline is offering a one-time complimentary rebooking to or from any operational Air India station in Saudi Arabia to Air India passengers who booked to or from Riyadh and Dammam with original travel dates up to November 7. Notably, the facility is subject to availability and is valid for travel till November 21.

The passengers booked to or from Jeddah with original travel dates up to October 31 can avail a similar one-time free rebooking for travel till November 14.

Air India Express has also announced identical relief measures for passengers. According to the airline, passengers booked on the Riyadh and Dammam sectors on or before October 24, with travel dates up to November 7, can opt for a one-time complimentary rebooking to or from any operational Air India Express station in Saudi Arabia or Bahrain and India. The revised journey must be undertaken by November 21, subject to seat availability.

Additionally, the free booking option for Air India Express passengers on Jeddah sectors booked on or before October 24 with original travel dates up to October 31 will be available for travel till November 14, covering operational stations of Air India Express in Saudi Arabia or Bahrain and India.

Both airlines have declared that their teams will assist flyers with rebooking and refund requests through contact centres and city booking offices. Air India passengers can contact the airline on +91 11 69329333 or +91 11 69329999, while Air India Express passengers can call +91 124 6935600.

Akasa, IndiGo Also Extend Suspension

Akasa Air had announced on October 23 that it was extending the suspension of flights to Jeddah till November 10 and to Riyadh till November 30, 2026. The airline stated that the decision was taken after a careful assessment of the security environment, adding that they are monitoring developments and assessing the situation in real time.

IndiGo has also extended the cancellation of the Saudi Arabia flights amid security concerns in the region, as confirmed by the Indian Embassy.

The series of extensions of suspension comes against the backdrop of concerns over drone and missile strikes targeting Saudi airports, energy installations and other critical infrastructure. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have been engaged in a prolonged campaign against Saudi Arabia, leading to heightened security alerts and flight disruptions.

Further developments in the ongoing escalation in the Middle East are awaited.