India Saudi Arabia

Air India and Air India Express have extended the cancellation of flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam until October 20, 2026, as regional security concerns continue to disrupt air travel in Saudi Arabia.

Air India said it was monitoring developments and assessing conditions before services could resume safely. Passengers whose Air India flights are cancelled will receive full refunds, the airline said.

Air India Express said its suspension on the same Saudi routes had also been extended to October 20 because of the evolving regional situation. Its affected customers may either reschedule their journey without charge or seek a full refund after cancellation.

Both carriers urged travellers to confirm their flight status and follow changes to their travel plans. Air India Express asked passengers to visit airindiaexpress.com and ensure their contact details are current so they can receive operational updates.

Saudi airport disruption

The extended suspension comes amid widespread flight disruption in Saudi Arabia following a series of attacks on airports in the kingdom. More than 4,000 departing flights were cancelled or grounded between October 8 and October 15.

Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, reported that about 46 per cent of 8,883 scheduled departures did not operate during the eight-day period.

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was among the most heavily affected facilities. On October 15, 298 of its 366 scheduled departures were disrupted, equivalent to more than 81 per cent of planned flights.

Other major Saudi airports also recorded cancellations that day. Dammam had 60 cancellations from 131 scheduled departures, while 87 of 385 scheduled departures in Jeddah were affected.

Previous advice for Indian travellers

The new deadline follows an earlier suspension announced by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh on October 13. The embassy said at that time that Air India and Air India Express had halted flights to and from Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah until October 17.

Akasa Air and IndiGo had also announced temporary suspensions affecting Saudi routes. The embassy advised Indian nationals to remain in contact with their airlines and check schedules before travelling.

Air India and Air India Express said they would continue to review the situation before restoring normal operations. Travellers are advised to obtain the latest information directly from their respective airlines before going to the airport.