Flight services to Saudi Arabia were grounded for all scheduled flights operated by Air India and Air India Express till October 24, 2026. This grounding is the result of an analysis of regional security changes where both airlines are allowing flexible rescheduling or full refund options for passengers
Management at both the airlines stated that passengers whose confirmed ticket bookings fall within the period between October 9 and October 25 and whose tickets are booked before October 15 will be allowed to avail rescheduling facilities.
Date changes: These passengers will be allowed one free date change without any charge if this is done prior to November 10.
GCC alternative routes: Passengers whose flight booking has been canceled can take alternative routes via other GCC hubs based on the availability of flights.
Refund: For those passengers who do not wish to use the rescheduling facility, a full refund will be available for unused ticket fares.
Alternative gateways for rebooking provided by carriers
For minimising passenger inconvenience during this disruption, both the airlines have suggested the following gateways for rebooking purposes:
Air India: Passenger booking could be done at different regional gateway locations such as Dubai or Doha.
Air India Express: Extended alternate routing covers an expanded network including Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat, Ras Al Khaimah, Salalah, and Sharjah.
Affected travelers can initiate refund claims or modify itineraries directly through official airline booking portals or customer service helplines.
