About 41 Maharashtra Travellers Stranded In Riyadh; MP Supriya Sule Seeks Urgent Intervention

Mumbai: Around 41 Indian nationals hailing from Maharashtra are currently stranded in Saudi Arabia, following the cancellation of their Akasa Air flight to Mumbai, claimed member of parliament Supriya Sule. She appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy for immediate repatriation assistance for stranded passengers.

Flight cancellation details

On Monday, Sule posted on social media platform X – a list of the names of 41 people from Maharashtra’s Bhokardan – claiming that they have been stranded in Riyadh due to the cancellation of a flight by Akasa Air. The working president of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) alleged that the passengers were left stranded after their Riyadh-Mumbai flight was “suddenly cancelled.”

The MP’s post, highlighting the plight of the stranded passengers, also sought diplomatic intervention from the external affairs ministry, Minister S Jaishankar, and the Indian embassy in Riyadh. She urged the authorities to extend urgent assistance and facilitate their return to India at the earliest.

Embassy and airline response

Following her post, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh responded, saying they were checking with Akasa Air and would extend all necessary support. However, the airline clarified that operations to several Middle Eastern destinations, including Riyadh, have been suspended until April 12 due to ongoing safety assessments and the passengers have been informed about the changes well in advance. It claimed that the passengers have also been offered a refund or rescheduling options for the cancelled flights.

“None of our flights to or from the region have witnessed sudden cancellations. All affected passengers have been provided with full refund options and our teams are in touch with their travel agent to assist with alternate travel options,” the airline said while responding to Sule’s post.

Flight suspensions announced

The airline, in its daily travel advisories for the Middle East, has announced the suspension of all flights to and from Riyadh, Doha, and Kuwait until April 12. However, it continues to operate flights safely between Jeddah and several Indian cities, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Kozhikode. It also plans to resume operations from Abu Dhabi after progressive evaluation.

According to the airline's official statements, it has extended its waiver of cancellation and rescheduling charges for passengers booked to or from these cities until April 12. It stated that passengers can either opt for a full refund credited to the original payment method within 7 days or reschedule their travel at no additional cost.

The airline continued to advise passengers traveling to or from the Middle East to check its official website or mobile app for real-time updates on flight schedules, as operational adjustments remain highly dependent on the evolving situation in the region.

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