Updated 13 November 2026. Airline schedules are changing day to day, so check with your airline before you travel.
If someone you love is in hospital in Saudi Arabia and home is in India, this month has been hard. Since October, attacks linked to the fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels have led many airlines to cancel flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Abha. Several Indian airlines have suspended all their Saudi flights. This guide explains what is happening and what options families still have to bring a patient home safely.
Which flights are affected (as of 13 November 2026)
- IndiGo: Jeddah and Madinah suspended until 21 November; Riyadh and Dammam until 30 November.
- Air India and Air India Express: Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam suspended until at least 14 November.
- Akasa Air: Riyadh and Jeddah suspended until 30 November.
- Etihad: Riyadh and Dammam cancelled until 19 November; Jeddah flights running.
- Emirates and flydubai: some Riyadh and Dammam flights cancelled; Jeddah and Madinah partly running.
- Saudia and flyadeal: some Riyadh flights now use Qassim Airport, with buses from Riyadh.
Sources: Gulf News, 13 Nov 2026; Business Standard, 11 Nov 2026. These dates may change again.
Why this matters for patients
A healthy traveller can wait a week or take a longer route. A patient often cannot. Many patients going home to India travel on a commercial stretcher: a stretcher fitted on a regular airline flight, with a doctor or nurse beside them. When the airlines that carry stretchers on Saudi–India routes stop flying, that option shrinks or disappears for a while.
Options families still have
1. A dedicated air ambulance
A private air ambulance jet does not depend on airline schedules. It needs an airport that is open, the right landing and overflight permits, and a patient who is fit to fly. Our operations team checks these for each case before we confirm anything. On board, the patient has an ICU-trained doctor and nurse, oxygen, monitoring and emergency equipment, with ground ambulances at both ends.
2. Road transfer to an operating airport, then a flight
Where the patient's city has no flights but another Saudi airport is operating, a patient may be moved by ICU ground ambulance to that airport and then flown home by stretcher or air ambulance. This is only done when the treating doctor agrees the patient can safely travel by road.
3. Waiting, if the doctor says it is safe
For a stable patient, the right answer can be to wait a few days for flights to resume. The treating doctor's advice comes first.
What to do now if your relative is in a Saudi hospital
- Get the latest medical report from the treating hospital: diagnosis, current condition, oxygen or ventilator needs.
- Know the destination: the city and, if possible, the hospital in India that will receive the patient.
- Keep documents ready: patient's passport and iqama, and the passport of the family member who will travel.
- Call the insurer first if there is a policy. Many policies cover medical repatriation, but the insurer's assistance company usually has to approve it before the flight.
- Do not move a patient without the treating doctor's agreement.
Frequently asked questions
Airlines are not flying from Riyadh. Can a patient still get home to India?
Often yes. A dedicated air ambulance does not rely on airline schedules, but it does need an open airport and permits. We check these for each patient and tell you honestly what is possible.
Is there a cheaper option than a private jet?
When airlines are flying, a commercial stretcher with a medical escort costs much less than a jet. During cancellations, a road transfer to an operating airport may make a stretcher flight possible again.
Will travel insurance pay?
It depends on the policy. Most require the insurer's approval before the transfer. Send us the policy details and we will coordinate with the insurer.
Do air ambulances fly through restricted airspace?
No. Every route follows current aviation authority notices, even if that adds flight time.
Talk to our medical team
Qwiklif's 24/7 medical desk can review your relative's report and tell you which options are realistic today. Call or WhatsApp +971 50 282 5433 or message us on WhatsApp.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Decisions about moving a patient are made with the treating doctor.