Akasa Air extends suspension of Riyadh, Jeddah flights to November, offers full refunds

Indian carrier Akasa Air has extended the suspension of its flights to and from Saudi Arabia. Military tension is rising in the Middle East, and drone and missile attacks are being carried out on Saudi Arabia's infrastructure. The airline took the decision in this climate.

According to the company's latest travel update, flights to and from Jeddah will remain cancelled until November 10. Riyadh flights will stay suspended until November 30. The airline took the step after assessing the worsening security situation in Saudi Arabia.

Akasa Air informed passengers through its social media platforms and travel advisory. In a statement issued on October 23, the company said the safety of passengers and the well-being of its crew were its highest priority. It said the current security environment in Saudi Arabia was being assessed closely and in real time, and that the suspension had been extended keeping international safety standards in mind.

The sudden cancellations are causing considerable difficulty to travellers, including Indian workers and passengers bound for Saudi Arabia. To spare passengers a financial burden, the airline has announced relief. Affected passengers can claim a full refund of their ticket, which will be credited to the original payment account within seven days. They can also change their travel date at their convenience without paying any additional charge. Those who booked through a travel agent or a third-party app have been asked to contact their agent immediately.

Attacks targeting civilian sites and energy projects in Saudi Arabia have caused concern worldwide. On October 21, attempted attacks were made on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and on Saudi Aramco's key Shaybah oil field. India's Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned them. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are continuously attacking Saudi infrastructure with missiles and explosive drones. As a result, several international airlines have cancelled or rerouted their Saudi flights.

The Government of India is fully alert to the safety of the lakhs of Indians and Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a press conference in New Delhi that the Indian embassy and consulate in Saudi Arabia are in constant coordination with other airlines and tour operators to bring stranded Indians back safely.

According to government figures, more than 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims have returned to India in the past few days on special and available commercial flights. Work to bring back more than 10,000 more Indians in phases is under way on a war footing. The Indian embassies in Riyadh and Jeddah have set up control rooms that run round the clock. Indians have been urged not to believe rumours and to follow safety guidelines.

More than 2.7 million Indians currently live in Saudi Arabia, and the Government of India is keeping a close watch on the situation there. The Indian embassy has also warned its citizens not to share on social media videos or photographs of attacks or of missiles being intercepted, in line with Saudi local laws. Aviation experts have indicated that flights will resume only after the situation normalises in the coming days.