Air India Extends Saudi Flight Suspensions After Houthi Attacks
Air India and other carriers extended flight suspensions to Saudi Arabia until October 24 following Houthi militant attacks on airports and tankers.
Major airlines have extended flight suspensions to Saudi Arabia following a series of attacks by the Houthi Movement, including a fatal strike on October 10 at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed 13 people, including one Indian national. On October 15, nearly 47 percent of scheduled departures across Saudi Arabia were cancelled, with Riyadh seeing a disruption rate of 81.4 percent.
Air India and Air India Express initially suspended services to Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah until October 20, but later extended this suspension to October 24. The carrier is offering affected passengers full refunds, complimentary date changes through November 10, or rebooking via alternative GCC stations. Other Indian carriers, including IndiGo and Akasa Air, have also paused operations until October 24.
Global disruptions have expanded to include Philippine Airlines, which paused Riyadh services until November 29, and Delta, which delayed Atlanta-Riyadh flights until March 2027. In Bangladesh, the Civil Aviation Authority reported 107 cancelled flights affecting over 16,000 passengers. Biman Bangladesh Airlines extended suspensions to Riyadh and Dammam until October 18.
Security concerns have escalated beyond airports. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported attacks on tankers northeast of Jubail, while the Government of Yemen accused Houthi forces of targeting Aden International Airport with missiles. The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia issued a security alert warning of potential airspace closures and continued travel disruptions.
