Air India, IndiGo Cancel Riyadh Flights After Reported Houthi Missile Attack

Air India Group and IndiGo cancelled or diverted several services to Riyadh after a missile was fired towards Riyadh International Airport, disrupting travel between India and the Saudi capital.

Air India said its flight AI2243, which was operating from Delhi to Riyadh, returned to Delhi in the interest of passenger and crew safety.

The service was subsequently cancelled, and passengers were offered full refunds.

The disruption followed attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, who fired a missile towards Riyadh International Airport, according to the report.

Riyadh flights cancelled until October 10

Air India announced that it was cancelling all flights to and from Riyadh until October 10, citing the developing situation in the region.

The airline said passengers affected by the cancellations would be offered full refunds and that it was closely monitoring developments.

Air India Express separately announced that its Riyadh services had also been cancelled until October 10.

An IndiGo flight operating from Hyderabad to Riyadh was diverted to Dammam.

The airline did not provide further details on the diversion.

IndiGo also cancelled Riyadh, Delhi flights scheduled for Thursday and Friday, according to airline sources.

Services between Riyadh and Hyderabad, as well as between Riyadh and Mumbai, were cancelled for Friday.

IndiGo sources described the situation as “still evolving”, indicating that further changes to schedules could follow.

Airlines advised passengers booked on Riyadh routes to check the latest status of their flights before travelling to the airport or making onward connections there.

The cancellations and diversion affected several links between India and Riyadh at a time when carriers were monitoring an evolving regional situation.

For passengers, the airlines’ notices meant that checking flight status before leaving for the airport became necessary, while the affected Air India and Air India Express services were covered by refund arrangements announced by the carriers.

Embassy tells Indians to remain alert

Amid attacks on Saudi Arabia’s airports by the Yemen-based Houthi group aligned with Iran, the Embassy of India issued an advisory asking Indian nationals to remain alert and stay indoors.

The advisory was shared by the Embassy of India in Riyadh.

“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 advisory said.

It also urged Indian nationals not to circulate or repost videos or news related to the ongoing events.

“Indian nationals are strongly advised to refrain from circulating or reposting any videos or news related to the ongoing events,” the advisory added.

The embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah continued to function normally, according to the advisory.

Their outsourced services through the firm VFS were also continuing to function normally.

The embassy said it would issue updates and advisories as and when necessary.

The 24x7 helpline of Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra remained available on the local toll-free number 8002471234.

The advisory therefore combined instructions on personal safety with guidance to follow official information channels and avoid circulating material about the attacks.

Airport asks passengers to check directly

Earlier in the day, Air India, IndiGo and Air India Express had cancelled their flights to Riyadh until October 10, citing the security situation.

The airlines said affected passengers would receive a full refund.

Air India Express said that, in view of the evolving situation in the region, it had cancelled flights to and from Riyadh until October 10.

Its spokesperson said affected guests were being offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund on cancellation.

The airline also said it would continue to monitor the situation closely.

The cancellations came after the Iran-backed Houthis repeatedly claimed attacks against Saudi airports, military and oil facilities in recent days.

The attacks were described in the report as linked to the kingdom’s support for the US.

Early Thursday, the rebels warned global airlines “for the last time” about the potential consequences of operating in Saudi airspace.

The Houthis called Saudi airspace a theater for their military operations.

Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport separately asked passengers to contact their airlines directly before heading to the airport.

The airport issued the request on Thursday, after multiple explosions echoed over the Saudi capital.

“We would like to inform passengers of the necessity to contact their airlines directly and check their flight status before proceeding to the airport,” it said in a statement posted on X.

The airport’s instruction was consistent with the airlines’ advice that passengers verify their individual flight status before travelling or making onward connections through Riyadh.

Reported deaths after airport attacks

Saudi officials said on Wednesday that attacks on the Riyadh and Abha airports claimed by the Houthis had killed three people.

The reported deaths were described as the first since Saudi Arabia and allied Yemeni forces launched a major ground and air offensive against the rebels.

The developments placed the flight cancellations alongside a wider security situation involving Saudi airports and other facilities, while Indian officials advised nationals in the kingdom to remain vigilant and follow local authorities’ instructions.

For now, Air India and Air India Express have stated that Riyadh services will remain cancelled until October 10, while IndiGo sources have warned that schedules may change as the situation continues to evolve.