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[INTERNATIONAL] · India, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen · 15 sources

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Part of situation: Attacks on Saudi Arabian airports and regional fallout (10 clusters)

Middle East aviation disrupted by security concerns and bird strike

aviation disruptions Middle East security flight cancellations Houthi attacks bird strike

Aviation services in the Middle East are facing significant disruptions due to regional security concerns and isolated technical incidents. Several Indian carriers, including Air India and Air India Express, have extended the suspension of flights to Saudi Arabian cities—specifically Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam—until October 24. This decision follows escalating tensions and missile and drone attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeting civilian infrastructure in the region.

Akasa Air has also extended its suspension of services to Riyadh and Jeddah until October 27. To mitigate passenger inconvenience, these airlines are offering flexible rescheduling options and full refunds. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has issued safety advisories to Indian nationals in the country.

Separately, an Emirates flight (EK517) from Dubai to Delhi was delayed following a bird strike upon arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport on October 17. The incident caused damage to the aircraft's nose cone, necessitating repairs. The return flight from Delhi to Dubai was rescheduled to depart on October 18 at 07:00 local time. Emirates is providing hotel accommodations for the affected passengers.

Entities

Air India · Akasa Air · Emirates · Houthi rebels · Saudi Arabia

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

Delhi-bound Emirates flight encounters ‘bird strike’, return flight delayed [desitalkchicago.com]
Air India and Air India Express suspend flights to Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam until October 24 [shiningindianews.com]
Akasa Air extends suspension of Riyadh, Jeddah flights till Oct 27 amid Middle East tensions [bhaskarlive.in]
Air India opens Delhi-Osaka flights [www.ttrweekly.com]
Several explosions in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, flights suspended at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport - SNN [cryptobriefing.com]
Middle East Travel Disruption: 1,547 Flight Delays, 487 Cancellations Hit Saudi Arabia and UAE [www.travelandtourworld.com]
Akasa Air Extends Riyadh, Jeddah Flight Suspension; Indian Embassy Issues Safety Advisory [news.abplive.com]
Emirates Delhi-bound flight delayed after aircraft encounters bird strike [newsable.asianetnews.com]
Air India, Air India Express cancel flights to Saudi till Oct 24 due to regional tensions [www.en.etemaaddaily.com]
Air India halts Saudi flights until Oct. 24 amid Houthi attacks [news.az]
Air India extends temporary suspension of flights to Saudi Arabia until Oct 24 amid Houthi attacks [kalingatv.com]
Delhi-bound Emirates flight suffers bird strike, return trip delayed by over 15 hours [www.newindianexpress.com]
UAE-India travel: Emirates’ Delhi-Dubai flight delayed after bird strike [www.khaleejtimes.com]
Flying to Saudi Arabia? Air India extends suspension amid security concerns [www.dnaindia.com]
Air India, AI Express cancel Saudi Arabia flights till Oct 24 [www.news18.com]