PIA suspends Riyadh flights after Houthi attacks on the airport: call 111-786-786 before travelling

PIA has temporarily suspended its flights to Riyadh because of the fighting around Saudi Arabia, the airline's spokesperson said on Friday 9 October 2026, Dawn reported. No end date was given, and PIA has not said which flight numbers or Pakistani departure cities are affected.

If you are booked to or from Riyadh on PIA, call the PIA call centre on 111-786-786 before you leave for the airport to check the status of your flight, Business Recorder reported. PIA apologised for the inconvenience. Neither report mentions refunds or rebooking terms, so ask the call centre what your ticket allows before you change plans.

Why PIA stopped flying to Riyadh

Yemen's Houthis have stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia this week. On Wednesday, attacks on two Saudi international airports, one of them Riyadh's King Khalid International, killed three people; a Pakistani was among those injured at King Khalid, along with five Saudis and two Egyptians, Dawn reported. Riyadh airport was hit again on Thursday, with a plane badly damaged. Lufthansa and Air India have also suspended Riyadh flights, according to Business Recorder.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the new attacks on Friday and called on the Houthis to stop at once, restating Pakistan's commitment to Saudi Arabia's security under the Makkah defence pact.

What it means for Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh is home to a large share of the Pakistanis who live and work in Saudi Arabia, and PIA is one of several airlines linking the capital to Pakistan. When PIA suspended flights to the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait on 1 March, at the start of the US-Iran war, it said it would keep flying to Saudi Arabia. Friday's move is the first time Riyadh has been dropped.

What to do now:

• Check before travelling. Call 111-786-786, and keep your booking reference ready.
• Other Saudi routes. The suspension named only Riyadh. Ask PIA about Jeddah, Madinah and Dammam before assuming your flight is affected.
• Other airlines. Private carriers fly Pakistan to Riyadh too; check their own advisories, since each decides separately.
• Sending money home or changing riyals? Today's rate is on our Saudi riyal to rupee page, and the currency converter works out any amount.

Our earlier coverage of what Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia must know about the missile attacks explains the Saudi rules on filming and sharing videos of interceptions, which carry heavy penalties.

This page will be updated when PIA says when Riyadh flights resume.