Indian airlines, including Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and Akasa Air, have suspended flights to Riyadh amid reports of attacks on Saudi Arabian airports by Houthi militants. The cancellations are expected to remain in place until October 9 or 10, depending on the airline.
Air India and Air India Express have cancelled their Riyadh services until October 10, while IndiGo has suspended flights to the Saudi capital until October 9. Akasa Air also announced the cancellation of its Riyadh services on Thursday.
According to reports, the airports in Riyadh and Abha were targeted in the alleged attacks. Sources said Air India and Air India Express flights bound for Riyadh on Thursday returned to their departure airports.
In a statement, Air India Express said it had cancelled flights to and from Riyadh until October 10 in view of the evolving situation in the region. The airline is offering affected passengers the option of free rescheduling or a full refund in case of 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 services until October 10. The airline operates seven weekly flights to the Saudi capital from Delhi and Mumbai.
“Full refunds are being offered to affected passengers in case of cancellations. We are closely monitoring the situation,” Air India said in a statement.
On Thursday, Air India flight AI2243, which was flying from Delhi to Riyadh, returned to the national capital and was subsequently cancelled.
Airlines have advised passengers to check their flight status and contact the respective carriers for the latest updates before travelling.
