PIA flights to Saudi Arabia cancelled after Kingdom shuts down int’l travel

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced to cancel its flights scheduled for Monday to different destinations in Saudi Arabia, consequent to the Saudi government’s decision of a week-long suspension of all international flights.

Talking to the media persons in Karachi, PIA Spokesman Abdullah Khan said that it is due to resurgence of Covid-19 that flights are being stopped, adding that the duration of this suspension may be further extended.

He said that the national flag carrier has decided to cancel its flight numbers PK-9739 and PK-9760 from Multan and Lahore to Jeddah. Similarly, those on routes Lahore-Jeddah-Lahore, Islamabad-Dammam-Islamabad, Lahore-Dammam-Lahore and Karachi-Medina-Karachi have also been cancelled.

In addition, the airline suspended flights from Lahore to Medina, Medina to Karachi, Medina to Multan, and Karachi-Jeddah-Karachi.

“These flights would remain cancelled till Saudi Arabia opens their airspace for international flights,” the spokesman added.

He advised the passengers to contact concerned PIA officials via helpline for their queries and guidance, besides getting registered their correct contact numbers, through PIA call centres, so that they may be kept updated about the status of flights.

Earlier today, Saudi Arabia had temporarily suspended all international commercial flights for a week except for foreign flights already in the Kingdom.

The Saudi Press Agency said entry into the Kingdom through land and sea ports was also being temporarily suspended for one week, adding that the suspension could be extended for another week.

The move came after a new strain of Covid-19 was identified in the United Kingdom. England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said on Saturday that the mutation can spread more quickly while urgent work was underway to confirm that it did not cause a higher mortality rate.