India’s largest international airline group has pushed back the resumption of its Saudi Arabian services for a further two weeks amid continued regional volatility. A notice carried in Saturday’s Business Standard confirms that Air India and low-cost sibling Air India Express will keep flights on the Riyadh and Dammam sectors grounded until 30 November 2026; services to Jeddah remain suspended until 21 November. The decision follows government security advisories citing potential threats to civil aviation in Saudi airspace after drone and missile activity in the wider Gulf. It also mirrors similar moves by IndiGo and Akasa Air earlier this month. In total, more than 300 weekly seats each way are affected on the two Air India routes alone, a setback for business travellers commuting between India’s technology hubs and the Kingdom’s energy projects. Passengers holding tickets issued on or before 10 November for travel during the blackout period are eligible for free re-booking or a full refund. Travel-management companies have been advised to run immediate PNR audits to ensure stranded employees are re-accommodated; alternative routings via Doha or Dubai remain available but at premium fares. The prolonged suspension underscores how Middle-East security flare-ups can dislocate India’s labour and project-mobility flows, particularly in construction, oil & gas and IT services, where tight mobilisation windows are common. Employers are urged to review force-majeure clauses and consider staggered deployment schedules until flight operations normalise next month.
Source: Business Standard
