Two Philippine Airlines flights already in the air Saturday were ordered back to Manila after airspace restrictions tied to the escalating Middle East conflict forced the carrier to abort their journeys mid-route.
PR658, bound for Dubai, and PR654, headed to Riyadh, both reversed course and returned to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, touching down at 9:52 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. local time respectively. Passengers on both flights who had already boarded found themselves back where they started.
The disruptions extended beyond diversions. Three routes were scrapped outright on Saturday — the Manila-Doha service and the return legs from both Riyadh and Dubai. A fourth cancellation, the Doha-Manila flight, is scheduled for Sunday, March 1.
PAL said it is coordinating with civil aviation authorities, airport operators, and government agencies as the situation in the region continues to shift. The airline attributed all operational decisions to risk assessments and established aviation safety protocols, and said it would not compromise on passenger and crew safety under any circumstances.
Travelers holding tickets on affected routes are being offered rebooking, rerouting, or refunds under PAL’s standard policies. The carrier directed passengers to check flight status through its website, mobile app, or official social media pages before heading to the airport.
