Indian airlines are keeping several routes to Saudi Arabia suspended through Nov. 14, while the Indian consulate in Jeddah is directing travelers to verify plans before leaving for airports.
Air India and Air India Express said their Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam services in both directions would remain suspended through Nov. 14. Those with confirmed tickets issued by Oct. 30 for journeys through Nov. 14 may choose a full refund or request one complimentary change, subject to availability, for travel through Nov. 29. Air India lists its operating Saudi stations as rebooking options; Air India Express also includes Bahrain.
IndiGo said its service linking Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah would remain cancelled through Nov. 14 because of regional airspace restrictions. The airline said it was contacting affected passengers. The notices do not set dates for services to resume. The latest cutoffs add to earlier EconoTimes coverage of Saudi flight suspensions.
The consulate said Saudi carriers continued to connect Jeddah and Madinah with India, while some other international airlines offered one-stop journeys. Its update listed flynas service from Dammam to Kochi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Mumbai and Delhi. The Riyadh list named Kozhikode, Delhi and Hyderabad on selected dates. The consulate said these options depend on schedules and availability, and encouraged tour operators to consider the flynas services.
The consulate said its control rooms in Jeddah and Makkah operated around the clock to assist Indian nationals affected by the disruption, including Umrah pilgrims. In its Oct. 27 update, it told passengers to confirm schedules and bookings with airlines before going to departure airports. Air India Group and IndiGo list Nov. 14 as the current cutoff for the suspensions; eligible Air India Group passengers may request rebooking for travel through Nov. 29.
