PAL grounds Riyadh flights following Saudi airport strikes

Philippine Airlines suspends Manila-Riyadh flights as it assesses the impact of Saudi airport strikes on subsequent flights.

Philippine Airlines grounded its flights between Manila and Riyadh today after cross-border drone and missile strikes hit King Khalid International Airport, killing three people and injuring dozens. 

The suspension of PR654 and PR655 comes as fighting reaches commercial airports and disrupts air travel across the Middle East. PAL currently operates the Manila-Riyadh route daily, giving the airline seven flights a week in each direction.

This immediate route pause cuts off a major aerial lifeline that connects hundreds of thousands of overseas Filipino workers to their families and local employers. Freight networks and recruitment agencies operating between North Africa and the Gulf are already scrambling as flight schedules across the region face unexpected holds.

In a statement, PAL said its operational teams were assessing airport conditions and their implications for subsequent flights. The airline added that “we recognize the inconvenience and concern these cancellations may cause our passengers,” while assuring the public that “the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”

READ: