Saudi Flight Cancellations: Air India, IndiGo and Akasa Air Suspend Services Until October 17
Riyadh airport reportedly closed until October 17 as flight disruptions affect Saudi Arabia and international routes
New Delhi/Riyadh, October 14, 2026: Several airlines have extended flight suspensions to Saudi Arabia amid reports of missile and drone attacks by Houthi forces on airports in the region. Flights operated by IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air between India and Saudi Arabia have been cancelled until October 17, affecting services to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina.
Several airlines operating between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also cancelled flights on Wednesday. More than 3,100 flights have been affected over the past week, including services operated by Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Air Arabia and other international airlines.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is reportedly expected to remain closed until at least October 17.
More Than 300 Flights Cancelled or Not Operated in a Day
According to the latest data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, 313 of the 1,097 flights scheduled to operate from Saudi Arabian airports on October 14 were cancelled or did not operate. This represents 28.53% of the scheduled flights.
The disruption was more severe on October 13, when 556 of the 1,058 scheduled flights were cancelled or not operated, affecting 52.55% of services.
On October 12, 632 of the 1,048 scheduled flights were cancelled or did not operate, accounting for 60.31% of the total.
More than 3,100 flights were affected between October 8 and 14, representing around 40% of scheduled services during the period. These figures may change as airlines revise their schedules.
Full List of Airlines and Flight Suspension Dates
Several international airlines have extended the suspension of services to Saudi Arabia and other affected destinations. The reported status as of October 14 is as follows:
- Air France-KLM: Flights to and from Riyadh suspended until the end of October.
- Air India: Flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah suspended until October 17.
- Akasa Air: Flights to Riyadh and Jeddah suspended until October 17.
- Cathay Pacific: Resumption of Hong Kong–Riyadh and Hong Kong–Dubai services postponed until January 31, 2027.
- Delta Air Lines: The planned launch of its Atlanta–Riyadh service postponed until March 2027.
- Gulf Air: Bahrain–Riyadh flights cancelled from October 12 to 17.
- IndiGo: Flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina cancelled until October 17.
- Lufthansa Group: All flights to Riyadh cancelled until October 16.
- Malaysia Airlines: Flights to Jeddah and Medina cancelled until October 17 as a precaution.
- Philippine Airlines: Flights to Riyadh suspended until November 29.
- Qatar Airways: Flights to Riyadh and Dammam temporarily suspended, with no resumption date announced.
What Passengers Should Know
Passengers travelling between India and Saudi Arabia should check their flight status directly with the relevant airline before leaving for the airport. Since airlines may revise their schedules as the situation develops, travellers should confirm cancellation notices, rescheduled departure times and available rebooking options through official airline channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which Indian airlines have cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia?
Air India, IndiGo and Akasa Air have suspended or cancelled services on the routes listed in the report.
2. Until when are the affected Indian airline flights suspended?
The reported suspensions for the listed routes extend until October 17, 2026.
3. Which Saudi Arabian destinations are affected?
The affected destinations include Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina.
4. How many flights were affected between October 8 and 14?
More than 3,100 flights were affected during this period, according to the report.
5. When will Riyadh airport reopen?
The report says King Khalid International Airport is expected to remain closed until at least October 17. Travellers should check official airport and airline updates for the latest information.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
