Indian Flights to Saudi Cities Delayed Till November

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that Air India and Air India Express flights to Riyadh and Dammam will stay suspended until November 7. For Jeddah, both airlines will halt operations until October 31.

According to the embassy, the suspension of services to Riyadh and Dammam will carry on. Flights to Jeddah also will not run on their usual schedule until the stated date.

The decision has been taken due to continuing attacks on civil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, notably at the airports of Riyadh and Dammam.

India's government has said it is working steadily to bring home Indian Umrah pilgrims who are stranded in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of External Affairs said the Indian Embassy and Consulates General are staying in contact with airlines and tour operators so that travellers can return quickly.

In the weekly media briefing held in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal revealed that close to 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims have come back from Saudi Arabia to India in the last one week. Over 10,000 regular Umrah pilgrims have also arrived back in India.

He noted that discussions are continuing on arrangements to bring back the rest. The Embassy and Consulates are regularly in touch with stranded people and are assisting them with the help of community volunteers.

The spokesperson also said that 24-hour control rooms are operating in Riyadh and Jeddah to support Indian nationals, along with periodic advisories on the ground situation.

India had recently condemned attacks on civil and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including those at King Fahd International Airport and Aramco's Shaybah oil field. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that one Indian citizen died and two others were injured in the Dammam airport attack, while one Indian was injured in the Shaybah oil field attack.

India has voiced hope that peace and normalcy will return to the region soon.