Indian airlines have cancelled or suspended several Riyadh flights after attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia disrupted operations and raised concerns over the safety of civilian air travel, affecting services from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kochi.
Air India Express has cancelled flights to and from Riyadh until October 10, while IndiGo has cancelled its Delhi-Riyadh service on Thursday and Friday, along with Mumbai-Riyadh and Hyderabad-Riyadh flights on Friday, according to an Economic Times report. Akasa Air has also cancelled its Kochi-Riyadh and Riyadh-Kochi services on Thursday.
Air India Express said the cancellations were linked to the evolving security situation in the region. The airline said affected passengers would be offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund if they cancelled their bookings. It added that it was continuing to monitor the situation closely.
Akasa Air said it was assessing the situation in real time. Passengers affected by its cancellations can choose a full refund or reschedule their travel without paying an additional fee, the airline said.
The disruption has also extended beyond Indian carriers. Philippine Airlines cancelled its Manila-Riyadh service on October 8 and the return flight scheduled for October 10. European and Asian airlines, including KLM, Air France and Cathay Pacific, have either cut services or extended existing suspensions, according to the report.
Riyadh is a major international aviation hub and an important connection for Indian carriers. The route network supports travel by a large Indian expatriate population, as well as business and religious traffic. Any extended suspension therefore affects more than point-to-point holiday travel: it can disrupt employment-related journeys, family travel, connecting itineraries and time-sensitive business movements.
The cancellations follow attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Abha and King Khalid airports. India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attacks and said that targeting civilian infrastructure was completely unacceptable. The ministry also expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
The operational impact is being managed through airline-level decisions rather than a single blanket announcement covering all India-Saudi Arabia services. This means passengers must check the status of their specific flight and booking directly with the operating carrier before travelling to the airport. The airlines cited in the report have offered refunds or no-cost alternatives to passengers whose services have been cancelled.
Air India Express has indicated that its suspension will remain in place until October 10, while other carriers are reviewing their schedules in response to developments in the region. Further changes will depend on the security assessment and the airlines’ subsequent operational decisions.
