PAL resumes Riyadh flights, CEB halts Dubai service

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will resume flights between Manila and Riyadh on Friday, restoring a key travel link for thousands of Filipino passengers.

“The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our foremost priority,” PAL said in an advisory on Wednesday.

“As Riyadh operations resume, PAL will temporarily operate via an alternate flight route to ensure the highest safety standards are maintained during this period,” it added.

To maintain safety, select Manila-Riyadh flights will include a brief technical stop in Bangkok for refueling. 

“No deplaning is required; passengers will remain on board while the aircraft refuels before continuing to Riyadh,” the airline added. 

PAL assured travelers that it is “closely monitoring the situation and will restore normal routing and full capacity as conditions allow. Updates will be communicated to affected passengers accordingly.”

Meanwhile, budget airline Cebu Pacific (CEB) has canceled flights to and from Dubai until 30 April, citing the ongoing security situation in the Middle East. 

“To ensure the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew,” CEB said, it has implemented the cancellations and continues to assess operations in the region. Further schedule adjustments may occur.

Affected passengers have been notified and can rebook through CEB’s Manage Booking portal without fare difference for travel up to 30 days, convert tickets into a virtual wallet for future use, or request a full refund. 

For flights until 31 May, flexible options, including free rebooking and Travel Fund conversion, are available up to two hours before departure. 

CEB urged passengers to check flight status online, update contact details, and follow its official social media accounts for updates, and thanked them for their patience amid the evolving situation.