Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 9 (ANI): Indian airline Akasa Air has extended the cancellation of its flights to Riyadh till October 10, citing the evolving security situation in the Saudi Arabian capital.
In a post on X on Thursday, issuing a travel update, the airline said, "In view of the evolving security situation in Riyadh, Akasa Air has extended the cancellation of its Riyadh flights till October 10, 2026."
https://x.com/AkasaAir/status/2108236356606705812
The airline added that it was closely monitoring the situation. It said, "We continue to closely monitor and assess the situation on a real-time basis."
The post said that passengers " impacted by these cancellations may opt for a full refund, credited to the original source of payment within 7 days, or reschedule their travel at no additional cost."
It further advised passengers "whose bookings were made through a travel partner are requested to contact them directly for assistance."
Reiterating its commitment to passenger safety, the airline said, "The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority."
The extension comes amid a security situation involving attacks on two airports in Saudi Arabia earlier this week on October 6 and 7.
The evolving security situation also affected travel of other airlines, as an Air India Express spokesperson on Thursday said that flights to and from Riyadh had also been cancelled until October 10.
“In view of the evolving situation in the region, we have cancelled flights to and from Riyadh until 10 October. Affected guests are being offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund on cancellation. We continue to monitor the situation closely,” the spokesperson said.
The travel updates came as earlier on Thursday, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh advised Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to remain alert, stay indoors as necessary and follow instructions issued by local authorities after attacks targeted Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, leaving three people dead and 36 injured.
“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. Indian nationals are strongly advised to refrain from circulating or reposting any videos or news related to the ongoing events," the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said in an advisory.
The advisory also noted that the Indian mission in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah, along with their VFS services, continue to operate normally and will provide further updates as required.
"The Embassy of India, Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah and its outsourced services through VFS, are continuing to function normally and will issue updates and advisories as and when necessary. The 24x7 helpline of Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) remains available on Toll free No: 8002471234,” it added.
On Thursday, India also condemned the attacks on the two Saudi airports and called the targeting of civilian infrastructure “completely unacceptable”.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “India condemns the attacks over the past few days targeting Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries.”
“The targeting of civilian infrastructure is completely unacceptable,” the MEA said.
India expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. We wish speedy recovery for those injured,” the statement said.
The MEA also expressed India's solidarity with Saudi Arabia. “We express solidarity and stand with the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” it added.
According to the Kingdom's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), the attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport took place separately on October 6 and 7.
The attacks resulted in three deaths and 36 injuries, with two people killed and 28 injured at Abha Airport, while one person was killed and eight injured in the strike at King Khalid International Airport.
The Saudi Civil Defence said its personnel responded to the incident on Thursday after the missile was launched by the Houthi militia.
Following the attacks on Saudi civilian facilities, Saudi-led coalition forces said they had destroyed 82 military targets belonging to the Houthi militia in Yemen.
The Indian Embassy has meanwhile asked Indian nationals in the country to remain vigilant and comply with instructions issued through official Saudi channels, while its Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah continue to function normally. (ANI)
Akasa Air extends Riyadh flight cancellation till Oct 10 amid evolving security situation
