Air India, IndiGo Cancel Riyadh Flights After Missile Threat; Refunds Offered

Air India and IndiGo cancelled and diverted several flights to Riyadh on Thursday after a missile was fired towards the Saudi capital's international airport, disrupting travel between India and Saudi Arabia. Both carriers said they were monitoring a situation they described as evolving and would adjust schedules as required.

Air India said flight AI2243, operating from Delhi to Riyadh, returned to Delhi "in the interest of passenger and crew safety." The service was subsequently cancelled, and the airline said affected passengers would be offered full refunds.

The airline also announced the cancellation of all its flights to and from Riyadh until October 10, citing the developing situation in the region. Air India Express, its subsidiary, separately announced that it had cancelled its Riyadh services until the same date.

An IndiGo flight from Hyderabad to Riyadh was diverted to Dammam, in eastern Saudi Arabia. The airline did not provide further details about the diversion or the number of passengers on board.

According to airline sources, IndiGo cancelled Riyadh–Delhi services scheduled for Thursday and Friday, along with Riyadh–Hyderabad and Riyadh–Mumbai services for Friday. Sources described the situation as "still evolving," indicating that further changes to schedules may follow.

Air India is understood to have moved its crew out of Riyadh to Dammam by road, while Air India Express crew have been asked to remain where they are. Neither airline elaborated publicly on these arrangements.

The disruption followed reports from the region that a missile was fired towards Riyadh International Airport amid heightened regional tensions. Yemen's Houthi rebels were named in accounts of the incident as having launched the attack. The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate detailed public statement from Saudi authorities on the extent of any damage or casualties.

The India–Saudi aviation corridor carries a substantial number of passengers, including a large Indian community that lives and works in the kingdom. Riyadh is also a transit point for travellers heading to and from other destinations in West Asia, which means disruption on these routes can affect passengers well beyond those booked directly to the Saudi capital.

It was not immediately clear how long the disruption would last, or whether other carriers serving Riyadh would also suspend or reroute their services. Airlines said they would continue to assess the situation and issue updates as it develops.

Passengers holding tickets on Riyadh routes have been advised to check the latest status of their flights with the airline concerned before travelling to the airport or planning onward connections from Riyadh. Under Indian civil aviation rules, carriers are required to inform passengers of their options, including refunds, when a flight is cancelled, and to process those refunds within the stipulated time.

Thursday's cancellations are the second major operational disruption for Indian carriers this year arising from developments outside the country, underlining how closely international tensions can affect travel plans for ordinary passengers. Airlines have generally responded to such situations by grounding services on the affected routes until they are satisfied that operations can resume safely.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had not issued a separate public advisory at the time of writing. Passengers with urgent travel needs have been advised to contact their airline's customer service or their travel agent for rebooking options.

This report will be updated as more information becomes available.