Saudi Arabia’s national airline, Saudia has announced that flights to major cities in the Gulf as well as Pakistan will remain suspended till March 4 midnight.
According to a report by the Saudi Press Agency, the national airline, Saudia, in a statement issued said that in view of the regional situation, the flights to Oman, Kuwait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Moscow and Peshawar will remain suspended until 11:59 pm on March 4.
According to Saudia, affected passengers are being notified directly and all passengers have been instructed to get updates about their flights before leaving the airport.
The airline stressed that the safety of passengers and crew is its top priority, while further updates will be issued according to the situation.
Losses to aviation network
The aviation network is losing $500 million a day due to the Iran-Israel war and the closure of airspace in the Middle East.
The Middle East is in the throes of war after the Iran-Israel war and all Gulf countries have closed their airspace. 3,400 flights have been canceled and the loss to the Gulf region’s aviation network has reached $500 million per day.
Political and military tensions in the Middle East have caused operational chaos at major airports in the Gulf countries and more than 3,400 flights have been canceled or rerouted at at least seven major airports across the region.
The flight cancellations are not only hurting aviation, but millions of people have been stranded and their routines are being severely affected.
Major aviation hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait and Bahrain are currently facing operational pressure.
More than 200 flights from Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf countries have also been affected, affecting not only passengers but also cargo operations and commercial activities.
Aviation experts have warned that if thousands of flights continue to be cancelled or rerouted every day, the airline industry could suffer operational and revenue losses of between $350 million and $500 million a day, equivalent to around 2 to 4 billion dirhams.
These losses include additional fuel costs due to rerouting, increased staff costs, passenger accommodation and rebooking costs, and cargo delays.
