Saudi flight disruptions leave hundreds of T travellers grounded | Hyderabad News
Hyderabad: Hundreds of travellers from Telangana were left stranded at airports across Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as the ongoing Houthi-Saudi conflict severely disrupted air travel. Community leaders told TOI that most flights had either been cancelled or rescheduled, often at short notice, leaving passengers in limbo. Several services have been pushed to dates beyond Oct 17.“Several airlines are communicating the changes only about 24 hours in advance,” said Srinivas Maccha, president of the Saudi Arabia Telugu Association (SATA). He advised travellers facing emergencies to consider alternative routes via Qatar, the UAE or Bahrain, that can be reached by road.On Oct 10, at least 13 passengers, including a man from Hyderabad, were killed and more than 300 were injured when a missile struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The Houthis have since warned airlines, travellers and airport workers to stay away from Saudi airports, threatening further strikes.Hyderabad-based artist Marzia Ali, who had travelled to Jeddah with her family of five for Umrah, said more than 250 passengers were stranded at King Abdulaziz International Airport alone. She alleged that the airline had not arranged alternative flights and that local authorities had also failed to provide assistance.“My mother, grandmother and two brothers, one of whom is a minor, are among the passengers who have now been left without a confirmed way back to India. Someone needs to take responsibility for getting these people home safely,” Marzia told TOI, appealing to Indian authorities to intervene at the earliest.Sufiyan Ali, another passenger from Hyderabad who was travelling with a group of about 40 people, said he and four family members were stopped at Jeddah airport about 45 minutes before their flight to India on the morning of Oct 12. They were informed that the flight had been rescheduled for later that evening.“We were taken back to the airport at 2 pm for a 4 pm flight, which was repeatedly rescheduled thereafter. We were eventually told it was cancelled, even though its status still shows ‘rescheduled’,” he said.“It is mentally exhausting. We are constantly praying for our lives,” Sufiyan told said.Maliha Tabassum, who had travelled for Umrah with her brother, described a similar ordeal. “Our departure was supposed to be on Sunday night, but it was delayed indefinitely. Ultimately, the flight was cancelled on Tuesday around 4 am. We have been given hotel accommodation for two days, but we don’t know if this crisis will be resolved by then,” she said.She said the uncertainty was particularly worrying for a family travelling with a bone marrow transplant patient, who feared running out of medication. “We need clear communication and assurance about our departure,” she stressed.Airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and Akasa Air, issued statements on Tuesday announcing cancellation of flights to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madina until Oct 17. The Indian Embassy also issued a safety advisory.SATA members said they were coordinating with the Indian Embassy and had requested an online meeting with officials to discuss the situation.“So far, little information has been shared with us about the further proceedings and guidelines, as the embassy itself is trying to establish the facts. Many of us have different questions and concerns regarding the current situation, and we want to discuss them with officials,” Srinivas said.Airfares surge by Uup to 300%The large-scale flight disruptions have also triggered a sharp increase in airfares, with travellers reporting price hikes of 250% to 300%.“Several airlines have increased fares by four to five times due to higher demand and limited availability of flights. Visas are also likely to get expensive in the coming days. I have also applied for around 80 visas for Indians,” said BH Naveen, a Telugu community volunteer from Kothagudem who is based in Bahrain.A trip from Saudi Arabia to Hyderabad, which usually costs around 1,500 Saudi riyals (Rs 30,000–Rs 35,000), is now reportedly costing 5,500–6,000 riyals (approximately Rs 1.37 lakh–Rs 1.50 lakh), according to several travellers.
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