Air India Express, Air India, Akasa Cancel Riyadh Flights Till October 10

Air India Express, Air India and Akasa Air have cancelled their flights to and from Riyadh until October 10 amid security concerns following reported attacks on Saudi Arabian airports. IndiGo has suspended its Riyadh services until October 9.

Saudi Arabia’s airports in Riyadh and Abha reportedly came under attack by Houthi militants amid escalating hostilities in the region. Flights operated by Air India and Air India Express that were en route to Riyadh returned on Thursday, according to sources. In a statement, Air India Express said it had cancelled services to and from Riyadh until October 10 in view of the evolving regional situation.

The airline said affected passengers were being offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund on cancellation. Air India Express operates 16 weekly flights to Riyadh from four Indian cities: Bengaluru, Kochi, Kannur and Kozhikode. Air India has also suspended its Riyadh flights until October 10. The airline operates seven weekly services to the Saudi capital from Delhi and Mumbai.

The carrier said affected passengers would receive full refunds if they cancelled their bookings. Its flight AI2243, operating from Delhi to Riyadh, returned to the national capital on Thursday and was subsequently cancelled.

Akasa Air, in a post on X, said it had extended the cancellation of its Riyadh flights until October 10 due to the evolving security situation. The airline said it was closely monitoring developments and assessing the situation in real time.

Earlier on Thursday, Akasa Air cancelled its Kochi-Riyadh flight QP 523 and the return service, QP 524. IndiGo said it had cancelled its Riyadh flights until October 9 and was monitoring the situation in coordination with the relevant authorities.

The flight disruptions come amid an escalation in hostilities involving Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi group, with reported attacks involving armed drones and missiles. Airlines are continuing to assess the security situation as they decide when to resume services.

Passengers travelling on affected routes have been advised to check flight updates and contact their respective airlines regarding refunds and rescheduling options.