- Hundreds of Indian Umrah pilgrims stranded due to flight cancellations.
- Owaisi urged government intervention for safe return of pilgrims.
- MEA reported 3,000 pilgrims returned, accountability questions remain.
New Delhi: Escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Houthis triggered hundreds of abrupt flight cancellations in the recent weeks. This disrupted the return journeys of thousands of Indian Umrah pilgrims from Saudi Arabia. This raises concerns over their safety, accommodation expenses and the responsibility of airlines and travel operators.
Owaisi claims 4,000 Indian pilgrims stranded in Mecca and Medina
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said on Thursday that around 4,000 Indian pilgrims were stranded in Mecca and Medina after flights operated by IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India were cancelled. He urged the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to facilitate their return through larger aircraft or special flights.
The indian pilgrims have been abandoned by their travel agents .This needs your urgent intervention,in the meanwhile necessary support must be provided to the stranded pilgrims @KirenRijiju @DrSJaishankar @RamMNK @VikramMisri
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) October 22, 2026
MEA says 3,000 Indian Umrah pilgrims returned
Although the Ministry of External Affaris did not directly reply to MP’s concerns raised on social media, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the government has reported progress in bringing stranded passengers home. Jaiswal, in a statment on late evening today asserted that approximately 3,000 Indian Umrah pilgrims had returned over the preceding week.
More than 10,000 other pilgrims had also returned during the same period without being stranded. However, the questions remain: Who will take responsibility for the thousands of pilgrims stranded abroad, and how can travel agents be allowed to go unpunished for abandoning passengers midway through their journeys without offering suitable alternatives?
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Who will bear the additional costs?
The prolonged disruption has raised questions about who will pay for extended hotel stays, meals, local transport and replacement tickets. Pilgrims who booked package tours may also face uncertainty over refunds and the cost of extending their accommodation.
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In an appeal to the government, Owaisi alleged that some travel agents had failed to assist stranded passengers. He also highlighted the financial difficulties faced by pilgrims from economically weaker families, who may struggle to purchase expensive alternative tickets.
What are the authorities doing?
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah have been coordinating with airlines and local authorities to assist affected Indian nationals. Consular teams have also been helping pilgrims access essential medicines and support from Indian community organisations and volunteers.
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In an advisory issued on October 19, the embassy said airports in Dammam, Jeddah and Medina remained operational, although disruptions continued. Riyadh's international airport remained closed to flight operations. Indian carriers had extended suspensions on several Saudi routes, while Saudia continued operating scheduled services to Indian destinations from Dammam, Jeddah and Medina.
The authorities have advised affected passengers to stay in contact with airlines and travel agents, verify flight status before travelling to airports, and use official consular channels for assistance.
The accountability question
The immediate priority remains the safe return of the remaining passengers. But the episode also raises broader questions about contingency plans for pilgrimage travel, emergency accommodation, passenger communication and responsibility for additional expenses when flights are cancelled unexpectedly.
(With inputs from agency)