Saudi Arabia’s air connectivity with India is gradually expanding amid flight disruptions following an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, with Saudi carriers continuing services from key cities and Flynas announcing additional flight options to several Indian destinations.

According to an update issued by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah on October 27, 2026, Saudi carriers continue to operate flights to India from Dammam, Jeddah and Madinah. Limited flight operations have also resumed from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, including services to India operated by Flynas.

The expanded options are expected to provide additional travel alternatives for Indian nationals affected by disruptions, particularly Umrah pilgrims seeking to return home.

Flynas adds connections to six Indian cities

Flynas has announced additional flights from Dammam to Lucknow, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kozhikode and Kochi, according to the Indian Consulate’s advisory.

From Riyadh, the airline has also announced flights to Delhi, Hyderabad and Kozhikode on select dates.

Meanwhile, Saudi carriers continue to operate services from Jeddah and Madinah to India. Other international airlines are offering one-stop connections through their respective hubs, providing passengers with alternative routes where direct services may be unavailable.

The Indian Embassy and Consulate said they remain in contact with airlines to facilitate additional air connectivity between Saudi Arabia and India. Tour operators have also been encouraged to explore the expanded flight options for Indian nationals affected by travel disruptions.

Indian authorities step up assistance

The Indian diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia are coordinating with airlines and community organisations to support affected Indian nationals.

According to the Embassy’s October 27 advisory, the mortal remains of an Indian national who died in the attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam arrived in India on the morning of October 27. The Embassy said it had extended the necessary assistance in the matter.

The Embassy and Consulate, with support from community volunteers, are also providing welfare assistance to Indian nationals. Round-the-clock control rooms have been established to assist those requiring guidance, with particular attention to Umrah pilgrims.

Passengers urged to verify flight details

Indian nationals have been advised to maintain regular contact with their respective airlines and verify flight schedules, bookings and travel arrangements directly with carriers before proceeding to airports.

The advisory comes as flight operations remain subject to changes, making advance confirmation essential for passengers planning their journeys.

The Indian Embassy has also urged members of the Indian community to exercise caution and comply with Saudi laws, particularly restrictions concerning the recording or sharing of photographs and videos of interceptions and impact sites.

The latest measures highlight the efforts of Indian diplomatic missions and airlines to maintain travel links between Saudi Arabia and India while assisting passengers affected by the ongoing disruptions.

One of Dubai’s most recognisable luxury hotels is set to be transformed into a $1.3bn premium office development, with more than 30 per cent of the project already booked, AHS Properties founder and CEO Abbas Sajwani has revealed.

The Shangri-La Dubai, a landmark on Sheikh Zayed Road for more than two decades, will undergo a major transformation into AHS Twin Towers, a Grade-A commercial development expected to be completed in 2028.

The move follows AHS Properties’ Dhs1.1bn acquisition of the hotel and reflects growing demand for premium commercial space in Dubai, as international businesses continue to establish and expand their presence in the emirate.

“There’s a huge demand in Dubai right now,” Sajwani told Gulf Business, referring to the commercial property market.

“The location is great, people love it for commercial, the views are great, the building layouts were excellent. It hit all the right boxes for a project that can be converted into a commercial building.”

Sajwani said the opportunity to complete the transformation in less than two years was another major attraction, allowing AHS to bring significant new commercial space to market relatively quickly.

Why offices instead of a hotel?

The decision to convert an established five-star hotel into premium offices represents a significant change for one of Dubai’s best-known addresses.

But Sajwani believes the economics of commercial real estate, particularly at the upper end of the market, make a compelling case for the transformation.

“The yield in the offices is excellent,” he said, pointing to a shortage of quality commercial space as more businesses relocate to Dubai.

“If you look at occupancy rates, they’re at over 95 per cent,” he added.

According to Sajwani, demand is already translating into strong early interest in the development.

“More than 30 per cent of the building is already booked,” he revealed.

The project will offer full-floor office spaces measuring approximately 16,000 square feet, alongside smaller half-floor configurations, catering to companies seeking corporate headquarters and investors looking for premium commercial assets.

A new identity for a familiar landmark

While the Shangri-La has long been synonymous with luxury hospitality, Sajwani believes the transformation will give the property a new identity while retaining its importance as a business destination.

“It will be a new landmark where many people can come and do business and have global companies, have their headquarters, and have their offices,” he said.

“It will still stay as a business hub.”

The redevelopment will introduce a refreshed exterior and substantially reworked interiors, although Sajwani said the project would retain the building’s underlying design philosophy.

International architecture firm Gensler is responsible for the design, with interiors by AHS Atelier, the developer’s in-house design studio.

According to the company, AHS Twin Towers will comprise a ground floor and 49 upper floors, incorporating more than 30,000 square feet of wellness and fitness facilities and over 12,000 square feet of dining experiences.

Other amenities will include executive business lounges, a private wellness sanctuary with a lap pool, a landscaped rooftop sky garden and more than 1,000 parking spaces.

For Sajwani, however, the project’s biggest selling point remains its location.

“You’re in the middle of the city,” he said, highlighting the property’s proximity to DIFC, Downtown Dubai, Dubai International Airport and some of the city’s major leisure destinations.

The development will also offer panoramic views of the Burj Khalifa and the Arabian Gulf.

“Location is second to none,” he added.

AHS expands its commercial ambitions

The Shangri-La transformation marks another major step in AHS Properties’ expansion into commercial real estate, having initially established its reputation in Dubai’s ultra-luxury residential market.

The developer’s first Grade-A commercial project, AHS Tower, sold out for more than $700m during development, according to the company.

Sajwani said AHS would continue to concentrate its investment activities in Dubai, with a particular focus on Sheikh Zayed Road and premium commercial developments, alongside its existing residential portfolio.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on flydubai crew members involved in September’s in-flight incident, recognising their courage and efforts to ensure passenger safety.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, presented the honours and commended the crew’s actions and sense of responsibility.

The president also received the crew members involved in the September 30 incident in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The two leaders praised the crew’s courage and professionalism in ensuring passenger safety and securing the aircraft. They affirmed that protecting people’s safety and security remained a top priority for the UAE.

The crew members thanked the president and expressed pride in receiving the honour.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports, and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, attended the award ceremony alongside other officials.

Senior officials attending the presidential reception included Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; and Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

A network disruption at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Tuesday evening forced airport staff to switch to manual passenger processing, slowing check-ins and boarding procedures as flight delays mounted.

The outage began around 7pm on October 27 and lasted more than an hour, according to reports by The Times of India, Hindustan Times and PTI. Check-in counters, boarding e-gates and DigiYatra facilities were affected, prompting airport personnel to process passengers manually.

Flight delays and cancellations mount

The disruption added to existing delays caused by air traffic control congestion, airlines said. IndiGo and Air India services were among those affected as staff worked to keep passenger processing moving.

According to Flightradar24 data analysed by Hindustan Times, 18 of the 44 passenger flights scheduled to depart between 7pm and 9pm left at least an hour late, while three were cancelled. Two additional flights remained on the ground at 10.37pm, nearly two hours after their scheduled departure.

A separate PTI report said the outage affected flight operations, citing sources who reported that 327 flights were delayed. The figure highlights the broader disruption beyond the departure window analysed by Hindustan Times.

Manual processing slows passenger movement

The network failure rendered automated e-gates at the terminal entrance inoperable, requiring Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel to clear passengers individually, according to people familiar with the situation. Passengers faced slower processing, while security personnel attempted to manage frustration over the queues.

Airport officials said procedures were switched to manual mode in line with established protocols. Although check-in counters remained operational, processing took longer than usual. Recovery was also uneven, with an airport official telling Hindustan Times at 9.36pm that the system continued to fluctuate as operations moved towards normal.

Airport operator says essential operations continued

Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), the operator controlled by Adani Enterprises, acknowledged the temporary network disruption but said manual measures were introduced to limit passenger inconvenience and maintain essential services.

“The disruption has not affected airport or flight operations so far,” MIAL said in a statement, according to The Times of India.

The operator reiterated that teams had implemented manual processing procedures to maintain continuity. However, airport officials quoted anonymously by Hindustan Times confirmed that the system had been down for about an hour, while reports of delayed departures and cancellations indicated that passengers experienced operational consequences.

The incident underscores the reliance of major airports on digital systems for check-in, passenger verification and boarding. While manual procedures can help maintain essential services during technical failures, they can also slow passenger movement and compound delays when disruptions occur during busy evening departure periods.

Microsoft has announced a voluntary exit programme for approximately 60,000 employees, representing more than a quarter of its global workforce, as the US technology giant seeks to manage costs and restructure operations amid significant investments in artificial intelligence (AI).

The programme, announced on Monday, October 26, will allow eligible employees across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and India to leave the company with financial compensation and career transition support.

The move comes as Microsoft continues to reorganise its business following several rounds of layoffs, including approximately 4,800 job cuts in July 2026 and more than 15,000 reductions during 2025.

According to Reuters, the latest initiative is part of Microsoft’s efforts to contain operating costs while directing substantial capital towards AI infrastructure and data centres.

However, the company has not announced 60,000 layoffs. The figure represents employees eligible to accept voluntary buyouts, with the actual number of departures yet to be determined.

Microsoft layoffs: Who is eligible for the buyout programme?

The new Voluntary Exit Offer covers employees in selected business divisions, including Windows, Xbox, Copilot, AI-related operations and finance.

Employees at Microsoft’s internal level 70 and below, including certain senior executives, are eligible to participate. However, some departments, including sales, marketing and selected engineering functions, have been excluded.

Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s executive vice president and chief people officer, said the initiative would give employees greater flexibility while allowing business units to adjust their workforce requirements.

“This offer gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support,” Coleman said in an internal communication.

Eligible employees will have until the first week of December to decide whether to accept the offer, with departures expected by December 31.

Compensation packages will generally follow Microsoft’s existing severance arrangements, with payments determined by factors including employee seniority, tenure and applicable local regulations.

The packages also include provisions for continued stock vesting, healthcare benefits for a specified period and career transition assistance.

Microsoft has not disclosed how many employees it expects to accept the offer.

AI investment drives workforce restructuring

The latest initiative comes as Microsoft continues to allocate billions of dollars towards expanding its AI capabilities, cloud infrastructure and data centre capacity.

The company employed approximately 223,000 full-time workers globally as of June 30, 2026, compared with 228,000 a year earlier.

Microsoft has forecast approximately $175bn in capital expenditure during calendar year 2026, reflecting the scale of investment required to support growing demand for AI services.

The spending has increased scrutiny from investors over the returns generated by AI infrastructure and the company’s ability to maintain profitability while funding expansion.

The restructuring also reflects a broader shift across the technology industry, where major companies are reviewing staffing requirements, simplifying operations and redirecting resources towards AI-related growth opportunities.

Microsoft has previously maintained that its eliminated positions are not simply being replaced by AI, although it has acknowledged that the technology is changing how work is performed.

Previous Microsoft layoffs in 2026

The voluntary exit offer follows a series of workforce reductions at Microsoft as the company reshapes its business.

In July, Microsoft announced the elimination of approximately 4,800 positions, equivalent to 2.1 per cent of its global workforce, with reductions concentrated in its commercial and Xbox gaming divisions.

The company also introduced a voluntary retirement programme earlier in 2026, targeting approximately 8,750 eligible US employees. More than 30 per cent accepted the offer.

In its July restructuring announcement, Microsoft said it had redeployed more than 4,000 employees into new positions over the preceding year, reflecting its efforts to reduce involuntary job losses.

The company has indicated that voluntary exit programmes will not necessarily replace layoffs, with further workforce adjustments remaining possible depending on business requirements.

Microsoft is scheduled to report its latest quarterly financial results on Wednesday, October 28, when investors will be watching for updates on AI spending, profitability and the financial implications of its restructuring initiatives.