Islamabad: Pakistan’s flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines announced it will resume flights from Monday to bring stranded Pakistani citizens home from Saudi Arabia after the kingdom permitted outgoing flights carrying foreign nationals.
Due to the coronavirus situation, PIA is only allowed one-way operation of flights, which would result in a financial burden for the airline. However, “the return of stranded Pakistanis is inevitable,” the PIA spokesman said.
“Bringing back Pakistanis stranded abroad is a national responsibility” as PIA had a tradition of standing up for the people during challenging times, PIA chief Air Marshal Arshad Malik said.
Cargo flights
Meanwhile, the PIA this week also commenced operating cargo flights to Saudi Arabia so that the ban imposed by Riyadh on international passenger flights does not affect the exports from Pakistan, PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said. “The cargo fares have been kept very attractive and reasonable” he added. Pakistan mainly exports meat, fruits, cereals, other edibles and textile products to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended all international passenger flights due to the new strain of the coronavirus, which emerged in the United Kingdom and was also reported in other European countries. The Kingdom had also decided to close its land and sea borders.
PIA had cancelled its 44 flights to and from Saudi Arabia after the ban on all international commercial flights placed on December 20 to prevent the spread of the virus.