India renews Saudi Arabia safety advisory as airlines extend flight suspensions to 24 October

India’s embassy in Riyadh issued a fresh safety advisory late on 18 October after another wave of drone-and-missile strikes claimed by Yemen’s Houthi movement. The alert urges Indian citizens living, working or transiting in the kingdom to ‘immediately proceed to the nearest safe place’ during aerial warnings, avoid filming security incidents and factor in prolonged flight disruptions when making travel plans. The advisory comes as Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo have all suspended services on every Saudi route until 24 October, while Akasa Air has halted flights until 27 October. Although Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport remains shut, limited commercial options continue from Dammam, Jeddah and Medina on Saudia, Flynas and Flyadeal. Travellers needing urgent departure have been told to consider transiting through Bahrain, Kuwait or Qatar—subject to securing the correct visas. Indian consular teams are visiting hospitals where the injured are being treated following the 10 October strike that killed one Indian national. Emergency control rooms in Riyadh and Jeddah remain operational 24/7, and multiple telephone, WhatsApp and email hotlines have been shared for assistance. For global-mobility managers the episode highlights the need for robust traveller-tracking, proactive flight re-booking strategies and up-to-date insurance that covers armed-conflict disruptions. Companies moving staff to Saudi Arabia for projects or pilgrimages (including Umrah) should reassess schedules, budget for longer routings via Gulf hubs and brief employees on shelter-in-place protocols. Airlines serving the India-Saudi market carried more than 1.8 million passengers in 2025-26; forced diversions and re-routing are already pushing up airfares and stretching alternative capacity across the Gulf. Mobility teams should lock in seats early once services resume and monitor further embassy updates, as escalation could see the suspension window extended again.