Coastal dists’ flyers hit by M’luru-Saudi flight disruptions; Umrah pilgrims take Qatar route home

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, October 20: Hundreds of passengers from the coastal districts who depend on Mangaluru International Airport for travel to and from Saudi Arabia are facing disruption after flight operations at major Saudi airports were affected by attacks by Houthi rebels. With services suspended, some Umrah pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia have begun travelling by road to Qatar to catch flights back to India.

Among those affected, elderly pilgrims, people suffering from health problems and others who urgently need to return home are travelling by road from Saudi Arabia to Qatar before boarding flights to India.

Airlines have extended the suspension of flights to Saudi Arabia for several more days. Air India Express and IndiGo have announced that services to the country will remain cancelled until October 24.

Air India Express had been operating flights from Mangaluru International Airport to Jeddah and Dammam three times a week. The disruption has affected hundreds of passengers from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and areas stretching from Kasaragod to Bhatkal, many of whom depend on Mangaluru for their air travel.

Those affected include passengers scheduled to fly from Mangaluru to Saudi Arabia and those awaiting flights back home. With regular services suspended, some are exploring alternative routes through Qatar and Bahrain to reach their destinations.

The disruption has also affected people who travelled to Saudi Arabia on visit visas and those who need to return to India for urgent work. While some are arranging alternative travel, others are waiting for flight operations to resume.

With the suspension of services extended until October 24, affected passengers continue to face uncertainty over their travel plans as they await a return to normal flight operations.