Air India had cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia till October 20, while Air India Express had earlier suspended operations to the Gulf country till October 17. File
Air India and Air India Express on Saturday (October 17, 2026) announced the extension of flight cancellations to Saudi Arabia until October 24 due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the region.
Earlier this week, IndiGo and Akasa Air had also announced the cancellation of their services to Saudi Arabian cities.
“In view of the prevailing situation, Air India and Air India Express have temporarily suspended flights to and from Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam until 24 October 2026,” Air India said in a post on X, and mentioned that it was committed to providing as much flexibility as possible during this period.
The airline said it was closely monitoring the situation.
On Friday (October 16, 2026), Air India cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia till October 20, while Air India Express had earlier suspended operations to the Gulf country till October 17.
IndiGo on Thursday (October 15, 2026) announced extending the cancellation of flights to Saudi Arabian cities until October 24.
On Thursday (October 15, 2026), Akasa Air said that in view of the prevailing security situation in the Middle East, it has extended the suspension of all flights to and from Riyadh until October 24 and Jeddah until October 21.
Tensions have been rising in West Asia due to the attacks by Yemen’s Houthis targeting civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including at the Riyadh airport.
Published – October 17, 2026 03:47 pm IST
