IndiGo cancels flights to Riyadh, 3 other Saudi cities till Oct 17 amid security situation

IndiGo on Tuesday said it has cancelled flights to and from four Saudi Arabian cities, including Riyadh and Jeddah, until October 17 amid an evolving security situation in the region.

The airline has cancelled flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah, it said in a travel advisory posted on X.

"Due to the evolving situation in Saudi Arabia, flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah stand cancelled until 17 October'26," the airline said.

Akasa Air has also extended the suspension of all flights to and from Riyadh and Jeddah until October 17, citing risks to safe flight operations amid the evolving situation.

"This decision follows a careful assessment of the evolving situation, with safety remaining the primary consideration," the airline said.

Akasa Air said passengers affected by the cancellations can opt for a full refund, which will be credited to the original payment source within seven days, or reschedule their travel at no additional cost.

The cancellations come as Saudi authorities extended the closure of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport until Saturday following a series of attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group.

A Notice to Airmen issued on Monday showed the airport would remain closed until 2100 GMT on October 17.

IndiGo has advised passengers to check their flight status on its website before leaving for the airport.

The airline said it was sharing timely updates through the contact details provided at the time of booking and that its support teams were available to assist affected customers.

The Houthis said late on Monday that they had attacked the Riyadh airport with a ballistic missile, shortly after Saudi Arabia announced that it had intercepted and destroyed a missile fired towards the capital.

The group also claimed to have targeted an airbase in Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia with a drone.

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