Indian airlines cancel Saudi Arabia flights until Oct 20 amid regional security concerns
Synopsis
All four major Indian carriers — Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and Akasa Air — have simultaneously grounded Saudi Arabia routes, cutting direct flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah until at least 20 October, with IndiGo and Akasa extending to 24 October. The coordinated suspensions, driven by an unspecified but 'evolving' security situation, leave millions of Indians in Saudi Arabia facing disrupted travel plans at short notice.
Key Takeaways
Air India and Air India Express cancelled all flights to Riyadh , Dammam , and Jeddah until 20 October 2026 .
IndiGo extended its suspension of flights to Riyadh , Jeddah , Dammam , and Madinah until 24 October 2026 .
Akasa Air suspended flights to Riyadh until 24 October and to Jeddah until 21 October .
All carriers cited an 'evolving security situation' in Saudi Arabia; none specified the precise nature of the threat.
Affected passengers are being offered full refunds or complimentary rescheduling across all airlines.
Saudi Arabia hosts an estimated 2.7 million Indian nationals, making the corridor one of the most critical Gulf air routes for India.
Air India and Air India Express on Friday, 16 October 2026 announced the suspension of flights to key Saudi Arabia destinations — including Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam — until 20 October 2026, citing the evolving security situation in the region. The move follows similar actions by IndiGo and Akasa Air, effectively grounding a significant portion of India's direct air connectivity to Saudi Arabia.
What Air India and Air India Express Said
Air India confirmed via its official account on social media platform X that all its flights to and from Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah stand cancelled until 20 October 2026. 'At Air India, the safety and security of our passengers and crew remain the highest priority,' the airline stated. Passengers affected by the cancellations are being offered a full refund.
Air India Express echoed the decision, confirming an extension of its own suspension on flights to and from Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh until the same date. The carrier said it would 'proactively review and adjust' operations as the situation develops, and is offering affected passengers complimentary rescheduling or a full refund.
IndiGo and Akasa Air Extend Suspensions Further
On Thursday, 15 October 2026, IndiGo announced cancellations on routes to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah until 24 October 2026 — a longer suspension window than its peers — following what it described as a 'careful assessment of the situation.'
Akasa Air separately extended its suspension of flights to and from Riyadh until 24 October and to and from Jeddah until 21 October. It too confirmed that affected passengers would be eligible for a full refund or complimentary rescheduling.
Scale of the Disruption
The combined suspensions span India's four major carriers with Saudi routes, disrupting direct connectivity to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah — cities that together host a large share of the roughly 2.7 million Indians residing in Saudi Arabia. The India–Saudi corridor is one of the busiest bilateral air routes in the Gulf region, serving workers, pilgrims, and business travellers. Notably, this is not the first time regional security developments have prompted Indian carriers to temporarily ground Gulf operations; similar suspensions were enacted during earlier periods of Middle East tensions.
Advisories and Passenger Guidance
All carriers have urged affected passengers to check flight status updates regularly and ensure their contact details are up to date with respective airlines. Airlines emphasised that decisions on resumption of services would hinge on a continuing assessment of the security environment. Passengers travelling via connecting hubs should also verify onward routing with their respective carriers.
The situation remains fluid, and further extensions to suspension windows cannot be ruled out if conditions on the ground do not stabilise before the current deadlines.
Point of View
Same-day suspension by all four Indian carriers points to a threat assessment serious enough to override commercial pressures on one of India's most lucrative Gulf corridors. What is conspicuous is the absence of any public statement from India's civil aviation ministry or the Ministry of External Affairs — leaving passengers and their families to piece together the security picture from airline advisories alone. The staggered resumption dates, with IndiGo and Akasa holding out until 24 October while Air India targets the 20th, suggest carriers are working from the same intelligence but drawing different risk thresholds. If the situation is not resolved by 20 October, a further domino of extensions is likely — and the government's silence will become harder to sustain.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Indian airlines have cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia?
Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and Akasa Air have all suspended flights to Saudi Arabia. The cancellations cover routes to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and — in IndiGo's case — Madinah as well.
Until when are Saudi Arabia flights cancelled by Indian airlines?
Air India and Air India Express have cancelled flights until 20 October 2026. IndiGo has extended its suspension to 24 October, while Akasa Air has grounded Riyadh flights until 24 October and Jeddah flights until 21 October.
Why have Indian airlines cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia?
Airlines cited an 'evolving security situation' in Saudi Arabia as the reason for the suspensions. No carrier or government authority has publicly detailed the specific nature of the threat.
What options do affected passengers have?
All four carriers — Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and Akasa Air — are offering affected passengers either a full refund or complimentary rescheduling. Passengers are advised to contact their airline directly and keep their contact details updated.
How significant is the India–Saudi Arabia air route?
The India–Saudi Arabia corridor is one of the busiest bilateral air routes in the Gulf, serving an estimated 2.7 million Indians living in Saudi Arabia as well as workers, pilgrims, and business travellers. A simultaneous suspension by all major carriers represents a major disruption to this connectivity.
