Air India and its budget arm Air India Express have extended the suspension of flights to Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam in Saudi Arabia until October 20, citing continuing regional security concerns that have disrupted air travel across the kingdom since early October. The extension pushes back an earlier deadline of October 17 that the Indian Embassy in Riyadh had announced on October 13.
Disruption to Saudi airspace has been severe: between October 8 and 15, roughly 46 percent of 8,883 scheduled departures from Saudi Arabia failed to operate, and on October 15 alone, more than 81 percent of flights from Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport were cancelled.
Air India said affected passengers would be offered full refunds, while Air India Express is giving travellers the option of a complimentary rebooking or a full refund. The two carriers are among several international airlines that have scaled back or paused Saudi routes in recent days.
The disruption is rippling into UAE-linked travel as well, with many passengers connecting through Dubai and Abu Dhabi now rerouting via Bahrain or opting for overland travel to reach Saudi destinations. Umrah operators in the UAE have also reported a sharp drop in bookings as pilgrims delay or cancel trips amid the uncertainty. Industry analysts say the disruption is likely to persist until security conditions around Saudi airports stabilise.