PIA Suspends Riyadh Flights, Other Saudi Flights From Pakistan Continue
PIA has suspended Riyadh flights after Houthi attacks on Saudi airports, while other Saudi flights continue. How to get a new route or a full refund from PIA.
PIA has temporarily suspended its flights to Riyadh. Every other flight between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is running as usual, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on 9 October 2026. If you hold a PIA ticket to or from Riyadh, you can ask for a new route or a full refund.
The suspension came a day after Houthi missiles were aimed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and at Abha International Airport. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned those attacks on 9 October and said they caused deaths and injuries among civilians. Flights to other Saudi cities were not part of the PIA decision.
PIA stopped Riyadh flights, but Jeddah and Madinah flights continue
The Pakistan Airports Authority said in a post on X, carried by Radio Pakistan on 9 October, that flight operations to Saudi Arabia are continuing as usual. It said PIA has suspended flights "only to Riyadh". It also said that claims circulating on social media about wider cancellations are not true.
No restart date has been given. When we checked PIA's own announcements page at about 5:30 am PKT on 10 October, it still showed its older notice that PIA flights use Terminal 5 at King Khalid Airport. It had no separate notice about the suspension yet.
The suspension was reported to cover the Islamabad to Riyadh flight PK-753 and the return PK-754. We could not confirm the flight numbers on a PIA page, so treat them as reported. If your PIA ticket names Riyadh at either end, assume it is affected until PIA tells you otherwise.
Who is affected by the PIA Riyadh suspension
The people hit are PIA passengers flying into or out of Riyadh. That mostly means workers going back to jobs in the capital region, families visiting them, and Umrah travellers who planned to land in Riyadh and travel on by road.
| Traveller | Affected? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| PIA ticket to or from Riyadh | Yes | Call PIA, choose a new route or a full refund |
| PIA ticket to another Saudi city | No, per PAA | Check the flight status before leaving home |
| Another airline to Riyadh | Not by this decision | Check with that airline directly |
| Umrah group landing in Jeddah | No, per PAA | Confirm with your tour operator |
Other airlines make their own decisions. The PAA statement covers flight operations from Pakistan as a whole, but each carrier can still change its own schedule. Ask yours.
Your right to a new route or a full refund from PIA
PIA's own Air Passenger Rights page says that when a flight is cancelled, the airline must give you a choice: travel on another route to your final destination, or a full refund of the unused ticket. You choose, not the airline.
The same page says PIA may also owe compensation unless it gave at least 12 hours' notice. It is not liable, though, if it shows the cancellation could not be avoided. A security closure is the kind of case where it will likely argue that. So plan on a new route or a refund, and do not count on extra cash.
- Check your booking. Use Manage Booking on piac.com.pk, or call PIA on (+92-21)-111-786-786, the number on its website.
- Decide what you want. A seat on a flight to another Saudi city, a later Riyadh flight once it restarts, or your money back.
- Use the right channel. PIA says its automatic exchange and refund in Manage Booking is for tickets bought on its website. If a travel agent sold you the ticket, go back to that agent.
- Keep proof. Save a screenshot of the cancelled booking and the date you asked for the refund.
A change you ask for yourself is handled differently, under the normal rules for PIA ticket changes and refunds online. The rule for an airline cancellation is a full refund of the unused ticket, so no change fee should be taken from it.
Why PIA suspended Riyadh flights now
Houthi forces in Yemen have been firing missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia. On 2 October Pakistan condemned an attack on a power station in Madinah. On 9 October the Prime Minister named King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport as targets. He praised Saudi forces for intercepting "multiple ballistic missiles".
At the Foreign Office briefing the same day, the spokesperson said about 2.5 million Pakistanis live in Saudi Arabia. He called the attacks a matter of great concern for that reason. He said a Pakistani truck driver in Yemen had been killed in a drone attack, but that there have not been many casualties and the situation remains under control.
The spokesperson also repeated that the Makkah defence alliance of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye is defensive. That ties into the Houthi drone attack on the Madinah power station and to the government's rejection of a report that Pakistani jets struck the Houthis.
What Pakistanis in Riyadh should do now
Nobody has told Pakistanis to leave Saudi Arabia. When we checked on 10 October, the Foreign Office had issued no such advisory. The practical steps are about staying reachable and keeping your documents safe.
- Save the Pakistan Embassy Riyadh and Jeddah consulate emergency numbers in your phone now.
- Keep photos of your passport, Iqama (Saudi residence permit) and CNIC or NICOP in your email.
- If you have a flight booked, check its status on the day, not the night before.
- Follow instructions from the Saudi authorities first during any alert.
Umrah travellers should also check that their visa and entry dates still work if the route changes. A Jeddah arrival instead of Riyadh does not change the visa, but it can change hotel and transport bookings. The rules for the Umrah visa through Nusuk still apply.
Common questions
Has PIA stopped all flights to Saudi Arabia?
No. The Pakistan Airports Authority said on 9 October 2026 that PIA suspended only its Riyadh flights. Other flights to Saudi Arabia continue as usual.
When will PIA restart Riyadh flights?
No date has been announced. As of 10 October 2026, PIA had not posted a restart date on its website.
Can I get a full refund for a cancelled PIA Riyadh flight?
Yes. PIA's passenger rights page says a passenger whose flight is cancelled can choose another route or a full refund of the unused ticket.
What is the PIA call centre number?
PIA's website lists (+92-21)-111-786-786. If a travel agent issued your ticket, contact the agent for the refund.
Is it safe to fly to Jeddah for Umrah?
Flights to Jeddah are running, according to the airports authority. Check your flight status on the day and follow Saudi instructions on arrival.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 10 October 2026, about 5:30 am PKT. The suspension and the "operations continue as usual" statement are from the Pakistan Airports Authority, carried by Radio Pakistan on 9 October 2026. The airport attacks are from the Prime Minister's statement of 9 October 2026, also carried by Radio Pakistan. The 2.5 million figure is from the Foreign Office briefing of 9 October 2026. Refund rights, the call centre number and the web ticket refund rule are from PIA's own website. Flight numbers are reported, not confirmed by PIA.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
