Scoot extends Singapore–Jeddah flight cancellations through May 31, stranding Hajj travelers

Quick summary

Scoot has cancelled all flights between Singapore and Jeddah — routes TR796 and TR797 — through May 31, 2026, citing the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East. The suspension began February 28, 2026, following US-Israel strikes on Iran, and has now been extended three times. Passengers holding tickets on any date through May 31 have no direct service available and must act immediately to secure refunds or rebook via alternative connections.

Singapore Airlines has simultaneously cancelled its own SIN–Dubai service through the same date. Travelers with Hajj or Umrah plans in the coming weeks are now scrambling for alternatives through Doha or Dubai — adding hours and cost to an already compressed travel window.

Scoot confirmed on April 28, 2026 that TR796 and TR797 — its four-times-weekly Singapore–Jeddah service — will remain grounded through May 31, the third extension since the airline first halted the route on February 28. The trigger was US-Israel strikes on Iran, which immediately raised safety concerns over Middle East airspace. No direct replacement service exists.

Passengers with bookings through May 31 must choose between a full refund or rebooking on alternative Scoot flights — neither of which gets them to Jeddah directly. The only viable paths now run through Hamad International Airport in Doha or Dubai International, adding between four and eight hours of travel time and, in most cases, significantly higher fares.

The timing is brutal. May and early June sit squarely within the Hajj and Umrah travel peak, when demand for Jeddah seats is at its annual high and alternative inventory moves fast. Travelers who wait are not just losing options — they are losing them to thousands of others in the same position.

Parent carrier Singapore Airlines is in the same position: its SQ494/SQ495 Singapore–Dubai service is also cancelled through May 31, meaning SIA’s network offers no workaround through Dubai either. The disruption is not isolated to a single low-cost carrier — it reflects a broader regional aviation standstill.

Three extensions and counting: what the timeline tells us

The cancellations did not arrive without warning. Regulatory filings and airline advisories show a clear pattern of rolling extensions — each one buying roughly four to six weeks before the next review. The first suspension covered February 28 through March 28. The second pushed to April 16. A third extension, confirmed April 28, now runs to May 31. That is three consecutive extensions in under three months, with no public commitment to resume.

Scoot operates TR796 (Singapore to Jeddah) and TR797 (Jeddah to Singapore) as the currently affected flights. The airline has confirmed there are no other scheduled SIN-JED departures between April 19 and May 31. Customers who booked directly through Scoot can request a refund or rebook via the airline’s own channels. Those who purchased through a travel agent or partner airline must go back to that agent — Scoot will not process third-party bookings directly.

The pattern of extensions mirrors how airlines managed COVID-era suspensions — short windows, repeated reviews, no firm restart date. That structure protects the airline operationally but leaves passengers in a difficult planning position.

Why airlines keep extending rather than cancelling outright

Rolling four-to-six-week extensions are not indecision — they are deliberate. Airlines operating under ICAO safety guidelines cannot resume service over restricted or contested airspace without regulatory clearance from their own civil aviation authority. Singapore’s CAAS sets the threshold for Scoot, and until that body signals the airspace is safe, the airline has no path back regardless of commercial pressure.

Short extensions also serve a commercial function. A full route cancellation triggers more complex passenger rights obligations and forces the airline to formally remove the route from its schedule filing. Rolling suspensions keep the route technically active, preserve slot rights at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, and allow faster restart when clearance comes. It is the same playbook Singapore Airlines used during the 2020 COVID suspensions — and those lasted two years.

Scoot is not alone in this position. Cathay Pacific has suspended its Hong Kong–Dubai and Hong Kong–Riyadh services through July 2026, citing fuel cost spikes driven by restricted Strait of Hormuz shipping — a situation ATC has been tracking in detail. The Middle East disruption is network-wide, not carrier-specific.

For travelers, the practical implication is that each extension announcement is not a resolution — it is a deferral. The question is not whether Scoot will resume, but when the safety picture changes enough for CAAS to give the green light.

Steps to take now if you hold a SIN-JED booking

Every day of delay on an existing booking is a day of alternative inventory disappearing — Qatar Airways and Emirates seats to Jeddah are absorbing displaced passengers from multiple suspended carriers simultaneously.

• If you hold a direct Scoot booking through May 31: Go to flyscoot.com/manage-booking, enter your PNR, and request a full refund or rebook immediately. Direct bookings only — if you bought through a travel agent or third-party platform, contact that agent directly. Scoot will not process those refunds on the agent’s behalf.
• If you booked through a travel agent or partner airline: Call your agent today. Do not wait for the agent to contact you — the obligation to initiate sits with the passenger in practice, even if the legal obligation sits with the seller.
• If you are planning a new trip to Jeddah before June: Search SIN–JED via DOH on Qatar Airways (QR819 departs Singapore at 20:45, five times weekly on Boeing 777) or via DXB on Emirates (EK354/355, daily A380 service). Both add connection time but are currently operating. Book as early as possible — these seats are filling from multiple displaced passenger pools.
• If you are currently in Jeddah or in transit: Call Scoot’s hotline at +65 6311 6290 for re-accommodation options, and check flyscoot.com/travel-advisories for the latest advisory status before making any onward arrangements.

Watch: Scoot’s next travel advisory update, expected around May 15, will signal whether the suspension extends into June or whether a restart is being planned. If you have flexibility on travel dates, hold that date before committing to a connecting itinerary at current elevated fares.

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