IndiGo extends Saudi flight cancellations as Riyadh airport stays closed

Dubai: India’s major airlines have cancelled or suspended flights to Saudi Arabia as the closure of Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport was extended following deadly attacks on the Saudi capital.

IndiGo said flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah have been cancelled until October 17.

“Due to the evolving situation in Saudi Arabia, flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah stand cancelled until 17 October 2026,” IndiGo said in a travel advisory.

The airline advised passengers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport and said updates were being sent to the contact details provided at the time of booking.

“Our support teams remain available to assist with any queries or concerns,” IndiGo said, adding that passenger safety and wellbeing remained its “top priority”.

The airline said it was in “constant coordination with the relevant authorities to ensure safe operations”.

Air India has also cancelled flights to and from Riyadh until October 15 following the attacks on the airport, according a Reuters report.

Air India offers seven weekly flights to Riyadh from Delhi and Mumbai.

Air India Express has also suspended its Riyadh services until October 14 and is offering passengers free rescheduling facilities.

The airline operates 16 weekly Riyadh flights from four Indian cities — Bengaluru, Kochi, Kannur and Kozhikode.

Akasa Air had also suspended flights to Jeddah and Riyadh until October 13. The cancellations add to growing disruption for travellers between India and Saudi Arabia, with several international airlines also suspending services as the security situation continues to affect operations across the kingdom.

Saudi authorities have extended the closure of Riyadh’s international airport until Saturday.

King Khalid International Airport, Saudi Arabia’s second-busiest airport after Jeddah, was suspended to “allow for the completion of procedures to ensure the safety and operational readiness of the airport’s facilities”, the Saudi civil aviation authority said.

A Notice to Airmen issued later showed the airport would remain closed until 2100 GMT on October 17, or 1am UAE time on October 18.

The airport has been closed since an attack on Saturday that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. A further attack on Sunday killed one person and injured nearly a dozen others.

The attacks have caused one of the most significant disruptions to Saudi aviation in years, while airlines are already facing wider regional conflict and higher jet fuel costs. The Riyadh airport disruption has spread beyond Indian carriers, with airlines across Europe and Asia suspending services.

The US Federal Aviation Administration advised US carriers to exercise caution when flying to or over Saudi Arabia.

The European Union aviation safety body EASA also widened its warning covering Saudi airspace, citing missile and drone attacks.