Pakistan International Airlines on Friday announced that it has temporarily suspended its flight operations to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in view of the prevailing situation in the Middle East.
According to a PIA spokesperson, the decision has been taken purely as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and security of passengers and crew members. The airline has requested all passengers traveling to Riyadh to stay in contact with the PIA call centre to get the latest updates regarding their flight status and rebooking options.
The suspension by PIA comes at a time when several major international airlines have also halted their operations to the Saudi capital after recent Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport. On October 6 and 7, the airport was targeted by drones and missiles, resulting in casualties and temporary closure of flight operations
Following the incident, airlines including Lufthansa Group, Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Philippine Airlines and Cathay Pacific have either cancelled or suspended their Riyadh flights until mid-October.
Aviation authorities have reported that out of 378 scheduled departures from Riyadh, as many as 169 flights were cancelled on October 8 alone. The security situation has also prompted embassies, including the US Mission in Saudi Arabia, to issue advisories warning of possible drone and missile attacks.
PIA said it is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with Saudi aviation authorities and the decision regarding resumption of flights to Riyadh will be taken once conditions improve.
Read also: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye agree to implement Makkah Alliance defence commitments
