IndiGo and Akasa Air extend Saudi flight suspensions amid escalating attacks
IndiGo and Akasa Air have prolonged the cancellation of flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah until October 17 because of heightened security threats in the region.
IndiGo and Akasa Air announced that flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah will stay cancelled until October 17, citing the deteriorating security environment in the Middle East. IndiGo emphasized passenger safety, providing refunds or free re-booking and directing travelers to the contact information supplied at purchase. Akasa Air echoed the safety priority, offering full refunds within seven days or cost-free rescheduling, and instructed customers who used travel partners to seek assistance from those agents.
The airline suspensions come after a recent strike at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that resulted in one death and 11 injuries, and a broader Houthi-claimed attack that killed 13 and injured over 300. Saudi air defenses intercepted missiles and drones, while the civil aviation authority began damage assessments at Dammam airport. The heightened threat has raised concerns about regional aviation safety and its impact on global oil and shipping routes.
Why it matters
The extended flight bans highlight how regional conflict threatens international travel and global supply chains.
How this story developed
- Oct 5 Yemeni government troops capture key positions on Bab el-Mandeb Strait
- Oct 11 A missile attack blamed on Houthi fighters hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing 12 people and wounding more than 300.
- Oct 11 Saudi authorities extended the closure of King Khalid International Airport.
- Oct 11 The strike on the Riyadh passenger terminal sparked a fire and prompted air-defence interception of a missile nearby. The Houthi movement said the attack responded to Saudi aggression, including a recent strike on Sanaa airport. The incident follows a larger assault the previous day that injured over 300 people and disrupted travel, prompting foreign executives to withdraw from the World Petroleum Congress. Saudi authorities assure heightened security for the upcoming World Petroleum Congress and the Future Investment Initiative.
- Oct 11 He also named King Fahd Airport in Dammam, an Aramco‑affiliated petrol station and a refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region as targets.
- Oct 11 A second projectile hit the airport a day after the missile strike, raising the death toll to 13.
- Oct 12 A Pakistani national died in the latest projectile strike.
- Oct 12 The Omani embassy thanked Saudi authorities for the medical care provided to an injured Omani doctor.
- Oct 12 Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey demanded an immediate and unconditional halt to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
- Oct 12 Saudi officials announced the continued closure of King Khalid International Airport pending safety inspections.
- Oct 12 Saudi authorities have extended the shutdown of King Khalid International Airport until Saturday after renewed Houthi missile and drone strikes, prompting airlines to cancel flights to and from Riyadh.
- Oct 12 Airport shutdown extended to Oct 17 for safety checks.
- Oct 13 Delta postponed its inaugural Atlanta‑Riyadh flight.
- Oct 13 Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported hitting a supertanker attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz.
In this story
Related stories
18 in this thread