Philippine airlines suspends Mideast flights until March 28
Affected passengers offered rebooking, refunds, or travel credits
Dubai: Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has temporarily suspended several flights connecting Manila with major Middle East destinations including Dubai, Riyadh, and Doha until March 28.
In its advisory, PAL has noted that the move is a precautionary measure amid the evolving geopolitical situation which has created operational uncertainties in certain regional airspace corridors and airport operations.
Affected routes include PR 654/655 (Manila–Riyadh–Manila), PR 658/659 (Manila–Dubai–Manila), PR 684 (Manila–Doha), and PR 685 (Doha–Manila).
Additionally, flight cancellation has been announced for PR 685 (Doha–Manila) on March 29.
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Safety as top priority
PAL has stressed that the cancellations are necessary to ensure the safety of passengers, crew and, aircraft.
“Given the current environment, PAL has determined that temporarily suspending these services is the most prudent course of action while conditions remain fluid,” said the carrier.
“PAL continues to closely monitor developments and coordinate with aviation authorities and relevant stakeholders to determine when normal operations can safely resume.”
What affected passengers can do
Passengers with bookings on the affected flights have been offered several options by PAL.
They may rebook their flights free of charge once services resume, convert their tickets into travel credits for future use, or request a full refund subject to the airline’s applicable policies.
“PAL’s customer service teams are actively assisting passengers through our website, contact centre, and ticket offices,” added the airline.
Impact on OFWs and cargo shipments
Moreover, PAL has acknowledged that many travellers on these routes are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who travel between their workplaces in the Gulf and families in the Philippines.
“PAL remains committed to supporting Filipino travellers during this period while ensuring that all flights operate under the highest safety standards.”
On the other hand, PAL has highlighted that the suspensions also affect cargo shipments on the same routes.
“The airline is working with logistics partners to explore alternative routing options where possible to support the continued movement of essential goods,” stated PAL.
Situation under review
According to the flag carrier, the March 28 suspension period reflects its current operational planning horizon and that it will continue to assess developments in the region.
“PAL remains committed to restoring our Middle East services as soon as conditions allow, while continuing to connect our passengers to the world with safe, reliable, and caring service.”
