Saudi Skies Stay Shut For Air India, Flight Cancellations Extended To October 20

New Delhi - Air India has extended its cancellation of flights to and from Saudi Arabia until October 20, 2026, due to escalating regional tensions affecting travel to the Gulf nation. The suspension includes airports in Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah. The airline is closely monitoring the situation and determining when it can safely resume operations.

Air India's statement on X on Friday confirmed that all services connecting Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah would remain cancelled through October 20. This latest announcement extends the suspension by three days from the initial cancellation until October 17. Passengers affected by the cancellations are being offered full refunds. Air India and Air India Express emphasized that the evolving security situation is being continuously reviewed, with safety determining the timing of any restart.

Despite the extension, the cancellation deadline marks the period covered by the announcement rather than a guarantee that flights will resume immediately afterwards. Other Indian airlines, including IndiGo and Akasa Air, have also prolonged their flight suspensions in Saudi Arabia. IndiGo's cancellations will continue until October 24, while Akasa Air's suspensions will end on October 24, with Jeddah flights remaining suspended until October 21.

The differing deadlines mean travelers should check the advisory applicable to their airline and destination, especially for bookings involving separate services or connecting journeys. Security concerns, including drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthis targeting civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and multiple attacks on Riyadh airport, have contributed to the cancellations, with Air India stating it will continue to assess developments to support the safe resumption of its affected Saudi operations.