Air India's flight services to Saudi Arabia extended until November 14

Due to escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia, Air India and Air India Express have decided to extend the suspension of their flight services to three major cities in Saudi Arabia until November 14, 2026. According to a Business Standard report, all flights to and from Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam will remain suspended during this period.

According to an NDTV report, this decision has been taken keeping in mind the current situation prevailing in the region. Air India and Air India Express have clarified that passengers who have confirmed bookings made on or before October 30, 2026, and whose travel is scheduled up to November 14, will be able to get a one-time free rebooking for travel up to November 29, subject to seat availability. If passengers wish, they can also cancel their bookings and get a full refund.

Air India has stated that eligible customers can rebook for travel to or from any Air India station operating in Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, Air India Express passengers can opt for rebooking at an Air India Express station operating in Saudi Arabia or Bahrain. To assist passengers, Air India's contact centre numbers +91 11 69329333 / +91 11 69329999 and Air India Express's number +91 124 6935600 are available, and they can also contact city booking offices.

According to a report by The Times of India, not only Air India, but flights to various cities in Saudi Arabia have also been cancelled by IndiGo and Akasa Air until the middle of November. The main reason for these flight cancellations is growing security concerns amid instability in West Asia. Recently, strict security measures have been taken near Mecca due to Houthi activity, which is also affecting regional shipping.

According to an NDTV report, continuous attacks on civil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia are responsible for this situation, which includes attacks on airports in Riyadh and Dammam. An Indian national was killed and two others were injured in the attack at Dammam airport. Apart from this, another Indian national was injured in an attack on the Shaybah oil field.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of the Government of India stated earlier this month that the Indian Embassy and Consulate in Saudi Arabia are actively engaged with the concerned airlines and tour operators to bring back the stranded Indian pilgrims there at the earliest. Over the past month, hundreds of stranded Umrah pilgrims have returned to India from Saudi Arabia, and more than 10,000 general Umrah pilgrims have also departed for India.

Airlines have advised passengers to contact their respective customer service teams or visit city booking offices for rebooking and refund requests. In addition, call centres can also be accessed through contact details provided on the official websites of the airlines. Due to this ongoing geopolitical instability in West Asia, a widespread impact is being witnessed on tourism and aviation services.