HONG KONG: Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific said on Tuesday (March 24) it has extended its flight suspensions to and from Dubai and Riyadh by a month until May 31 because of the war in the Middle East.
The Asian aviation giant said in two separate statements that all Cathay Pacific flights to and from Riyadh and Dubai had been cancelled up to and including May 31, 2026, “in view of the ongoing situation in the Middle East”.
The firm said customers affected by the changes had been advised and that it was “monitoring the situation closely and will remain agile”.
Cathay said customers looking to change their flights to and from the Middle East would not face rebooking, rerouting or refund charges.
The carrier axed all flights to Dubai and Riyadh in March and April after the war in the Middle East broke out with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb 28.
Cathay also announced on March 24 that it will operate extra flights between Hong Kong and Paris and Zurich “to cater for an upsurge in market demand for Europe”.
It also added routes to London in March, and said it had noted a “general increase” in demand from other regions due to travellers looking for alternatives to routes that rely heavily on Middle Eastern hubs.
Cathay also doubled fuel surcharges in March for most of its routes, with oil prices surging because of the war. - AFP
