Cancelled flights: 4,000 Indian Haj pilgrims stranded in Saudi; MEA says working on their early return
It said approximately 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims had returned to India on available flights over the past week, in addition to more than 10,000 regular Umrah pilgrims who had travelled back on scheduled flights. (AP Photo/File)
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday it was in touch with tour operators and airlines to facilitate the early return of Indian Haj and Umrah pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia following flight disruptions caused by attacks on airport infrastructure. The MEA’s response comes after AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi flagged that thousands were stuck in Makkah and Madina.
“Four thousand pilgrims from India are stuck in Makkah and Madina. They flew via IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India but are now stuck there since these airlines have cancelled their flights,” Owaisi said in a post on X. He urged the DGCA to permit airlines to operate larger aircraft to bring the pilgrims home, or arrange dedicated flights for their return.
Hours later, the MEA said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah were actively engaging with concerned airlines and tour operators to facilitate early return of affected pilgrims. It said approximately 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims had returned to India on available flights over the past week, in addition to more than 10,000 regular Umrah pilgrims who had travelled back on scheduled flights.
Arrange special flights to bring back Umrah pilgrims: Owaisi urges Centre
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— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) October 22, 2026
The MEA also put out the numbers of control rooms set up to assist Indian citizens in Saudi Arabia.
Flights have faced major schedule disruptions following attacks on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More
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