Grounded! PAL and Cebu Pacific Cancel Middle East Flights Amid Security Crisis

Kung may planong lumipad papuntang Middle East in the next few days, better check your bookings — Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific just announced massive flight cancellations due to the worsening security situation in the region.

As of 7:30 PM on March 11, PAL has canceled all flights to and from Doha, Dubai, and Riyadh through March 17. That includes routes PR 684/685 (Manila-Doha), PR 658/659 (Manila-Dubai), and PR 654/655 (Manila-Riyadh). The flag carrier cited the ongoing security developments and the need to protect passengers, crew, and ground personnel.

Cebu Pacific followed suit, scrapping its Manila-Dubai and Manila-Riyadh flights from March 12 through 17. The budget carrier is also offering free rebooking and Travel Fund conversion for passengers with flights to Dubai and Riyadh scheduled until March 31, 2026 — so there's some flexibility kung gusto mo mag-reschedule.

The cancellations come on top of an already chaotic week for Philippine aviation, with jet fuel prices spiking nearly 90% due to the Middle East conflict. Affected PAL passengers can rebook or request refunds through the PAL Flight Help Page, while Cebu Pacific passengers can manage their bookings through the CEB website up to two hours before departure.

Both airlines say they're continuing to monitor the situation and may announce further schedule changes. For OFWs and travelers with Middle East plans, stay updated through official airline channels — this situation is still developing.

Source: GMA News Online