Akasa Air, Air India and IndiGo extend Saudi flight suspensions amid security concerns

Akasa Air, Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo have pushed back cancellations of Saudi routes to mid‑November, citing ongoing attacks on Saudi infrastructure.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 01 Nov 2026 11:22:13 GMT

Indian carriers have extended the suspension of flights to Saudi Arabia, with Akasa Air, Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo all announcing new end dates amid continuing security concerns in the Gulf kingdom, according to Gulf News, The New Indian Express and News18.

What happened

Akaka Air said its flights to Jeddah will remain suspended until 18 November 2026 and flights to Riyadh until 30 November 2026. Air India and Air India Express have halted services to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam until 14 November 2026. IndiGo cancelled flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah until the same 14‑November deadline. The extensions follow earlier suspensions that were in place through mid‑October.

What the reports add

Gulf News noted that Saudi carrier flynas is adding capacity for Indian nationals and Umrah pilgrims, offering alternative options between the two countries. The New Indian Express highlighted that the disruptions follow attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including an October 21 strike on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam that killed one Indian national and injured two others. News18 repeated the embassy’s statement about the Dammam airport attack and added that another Indian national was injured in an attack on Saudi Aramco’s Shaybah oil field in the Eastern Province.

What was said

Akasa Air said in an advisory issued on 1 November that it was “closely monitoring developments and assessing the security situation in real time, with passenger and crew safety remaining its priority.” The Indian Embassy in Riyadh, cited by both The New Indian Express and News18, said it was in contact with Saudi authorities and would provide assistance to affected Indians.

How it came about

Earlier this month, Indian airlines began suspending Saudi routes after a series of attacks on Saudi airports and oil facilities. Felo News reported on 16 October that Air India and Air India Express had extended their Saudi flight suspensions to 20 October, and on 13 October that IndiGo and Etihad had pushed back cancellations to mid‑October. The current extensions represent the latest round of adjustments as the security environment remains volatile.

Key facts

Akasa Air suspended Jeddah flights until 18 Nov and Riyadh flights until 30 Nov 2026 (gulfnews.com)
Air India and Air India Express suspended flights to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam until 14 Nov 2026 (gulfnews.com)
IndiGo cancelled flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah until 14 Nov 2026 (gulfnews.com)
The extensions follow attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure, including a 21 Oct strike on King Fahd International Airport that killed one Indian national (newindianexpress.com)
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said it is in contact with Saudi authorities and will assist affected Indians (newindianexpress.com)