Air India, IndiGo, other airlines cancel flights to Saudi as Indian Embassy warns citizens to be ‘vigilant’ amid Houthi attacks

Indian Embassy in Riyadh on Thursday (Oct 8) urged Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to remain “alert and vigilant” as the country faces Yemen’s Houthis launched attacks. It also urged people to stay indoors and follow instructions issued by the local authorities. This comes amid renewed tensions as an Iran-backed group targets airports, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The attacks have disrupted flights as concerns were raised over safety in the kingdom’s airspace. Several Indian airlines have cancelled flights to Riyadh amid attacks, while an Air India flight from Delhi was reportedly forced to return after an attack on an airport in Riyadh.

In a statement, the Indian Embassy said, “In view of the current situation, all Indian nationals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are advised to remain alert and vigilant, stay indoors as necessary, and follow the instructions issued by local authorities through official channels.”

The embassy also advised Indian nationals not to circulate or repost any videos or news related to the ongoing events in Saudi Arabia. “Indian nationals are strongly advised to refrain from circulating or reposting any videos or news related to the ongoing events.”

“The Embassy of India, Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah and its outsourced services through VFS, are continuing to function normally and will issue updates and advisories as and when necessary,” it added.

The embassy also shared a 24x7 toll-free helpline number where Indian nationals can seek assistance. People can contact the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) at 8002471234.

The statement further listed official handles of the embassy for updates:

• X: @IndianEmbRiyadh
• Facebook: IndiainSaudiArabia
• Instagram: indianembriyadh
• LinkedIn: Embassy of India in Riyadh

Indian airlines cancel flights to Riyadh

Several Indian airlines, including Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and Akasa Air, have cancelled their flights to Saudi Arabia in view of the current tensions in the country. Reportedly, an Air India flight travelling from Delhi to Riyadh returned amid safety concerns after Houthis attacked the airport. According to reports, flight AI2243 was on its way to Riyadh after taking off from Delhi. However, it was turned around midway and forced to return to the national capital.

Air India and Air India Express have suspended their flights to and from Riyadh until October 10.

An IndiGo flight from Hyderabad to Riyadh was diverted to Dammam, while a Delhi-Riyadh flight scheduled for Thursday was cancelled. The airline also cancelled Delhi-Riyadh, Mumbai-Riyadh and Hyderabad-Riyadh flights for Friday.

Akasa Air also cancelled its Kochi-Riyadh and Riyadh-Kochi flights scheduled for Thursday. The airline said that passengers can avail a full refund or reschedule their travel at no additional cost.