India issues fresh Saudi Arabia advisory amid flight disruptions

Dubai: India Friday advised its nationals in Saudi Arabia once again to continue following local authorities’ instructions and stay indoors in case of an aerial attack, as flight disruptions continued following an attack on Riyadh airport.

In an updated advisory, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said two Indian nationals injured in the October 10 attack on the airport remain in the intensive care unit (ICU), while one is in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) and three are in a normal ward.

Riyadh’s international airport remains closed to flight operations, while airports in Dammam, Jeddah and Medina continue to operate, although some disruptions persist, the embassy said.

Indian carriers have extended the suspension of flights to and from Saudi Arabia, with Air India and Air India Express suspending services on all routes until October 20.

Akasa Air has suspended flights until October 24 for Riyadh and until October 21 for Jeddah, while IndiGo has extended its suspension on all routes until October 24, according to the advisory.

β€œSaudia airlines continues to operate scheduled flights to Indian destinations from Dammam, Jeddah, and Medina. Flynas is operating scheduled flights on the Dammam-Lucknow sector,” the embassy said in its updated advisory on Friday.

It added that Flydeal had announced the launch of Dammam-Mumbai flights for October 17-18.

The embassy said Indian nationals requiring urgent departure may consider transiting through Bahrain, Kuwait or Qatar, subject to obtaining the necessary visas.

It also advised those planning to travel to Saudi Arabia, including for Umrah, to factor in the ongoing disruptions at Saudi airports and the possibility of flight cancellations that could result in extended stays.

β€œIn view of the prevailing situation, all Indian nationals should continue following instructions by local authorities, stay indoors in case of aerial attack, and refrain from filming, publishing, or sharing any information, photos, or videos related to the ongoing events,” the embassy said.

The embassy said the advisory was issued in continuation of previous advisories issued in recent days.

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