Six Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been delayed by up to 18 hours due to operational issues, causing difficulties for passengers at Jeddah and Madinah airports.
The Islamabad-Madinah flight has been delayed by around 17.5 hours, while flights from Lahore to Madinah have also faced delays of up to 18 hours.
Flights from Multan to Jeddah and Madinah have similarly been delayed by 18 hours.
Meanwhile, a Madinah-Islamabad flight originally scheduled for 2am is now expected to arrive at 5pm, while the Madinah-Lahore flight scheduled for 2:30pm is now expected to arrive at 8am the following morning.
Moreover, the PIA Board of Directors has approved the immediate induction of two aircraft on a wet-lease basis, according to sources.
The aircraft are expected to join the airline’s fleet in October and will initially be leased for six months.
The two aircraft are expected to be primarily used for European operations, helping PIA increase flight capacity, boost revenue and expand its options on key international routes.
