Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi raised the issue in a post on X, stating that flight cancellations by IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India had left approximately 4,000 Indian pilgrims stranded in Mecca and Medina.
Owaisi appealed to the DGCA to permit the airlines to operate larger aircraft so that the pilgrims could return to India. He added that if permission for larger aircraft could not be granted, the government should arrange special flights to ensure their safe return.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Owaisi said the pilgrims had been stranded in Medina, Jeddah and Mecca for the past two to three weeks. He alleged that travel agents had abandoned the travellers, leaving them to face difficult circumstances.
According to Owaisi, the DGCA was currently not allowing the three airlines to operate flights to Jeddah. He urged the regulator to immediately permit the airlines to operate larger aircraft, such as the Airbus A321, to facilitate the return of stranded Indians.
Owaisi also highlighted the financial difficulties faced by the pilgrims, saying that many belonged to poor and economically weaker families and could not afford the expensive tickets offered by Saudi airlines.
He appealed to External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to intervene. Owaisi said that if the DGCA did not grant permission for the flights, the government should arrange special aircraft to bring all the stranded pilgrims safely back to India at the earliest.
The disruption comes amid reports of attacks targeting Saudi Arabian airports by Yemen's Houthi rebels, which have reportedly led to several flight cancellations and left Indian Umrah pilgrims stranded.
On October 11, an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh killed 13 people, including a pilgrim from Hyderabad. More than 300 people, including 11 Indians, were injured in the attack.
In another incident, a recent attack on Saudi Arabia's Dammam Airport on the night of October 21 killed two people and injured eight others.
With thousands of Indian pilgrims awaiting their return, Owaisi's appeal has placed the focus on the need for airline approvals and government intervention to facilitate their safe journey home amid continuing disruptions to air travel in the region.
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