Pakistan launches 24/7 helpline in Saudi airports as Gulf crisis disrupts flights

• Missions in Riyadh and Jeddah activate 24/7 assistance for travellers

• Over 570 flights to Gulf destinations cancelled since Feb 28 due airspace closures

• Pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah reported safe amid travel chaos

 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia on Sunday launched round-the-clock helplines and deployed staff at major airports to assist travellers following disruptions to flight schedules amid the ongoing Gulf crisis, state media reported.

Several countries in the region shut down their airspace after Iran launched strikes on US bases in the Gulf in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on Iran last week. The conflict has disrupted key air corridors and forced airlines to cancel or reroute thousands of flights.

Dedicated teams from @PakinSaudiArab have been deployed to ensure safety, comfort and smooth repatriation of Pakistanis stranded in #Riyadh. pic.twitter.com/alPz07XRa6

— Pakistan Embassy Saudi Arabia (@PakinSaudiArab) March 7, 2026

Hundreds of international and domestic flights have been cancelled in Pakistan since the conflict began on Feb. 28, most of them scheduled between Pakistan and destinations in the Middle East.

According to the government, the Pakistani Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of Pakistan in Jeddah have established round-the-clock helplines and deployed teams at regional airports to assist Pakistani travellers.

The measures were taken on the instructions of the Government of Pakistan to facilitate passengers amid disruptions caused by the regional security situation.

Officials said the situation for Pakistani pilgrims and travellers in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah remains stable.

However, authorities noted that minor operational restrictions and precautionary risk advisories remain in place across parts of the regional airspace due to the ongoing conflict.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply after US and Israeli air strikes last week assassinated Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, triggering retaliatory strikes by Tehran and widening the confrontation across the region.

In response, Iran launched attacks on US military bases in several Gulf countries, significantly expanding the scope of the conflict.

Pakistan’s international airports have experienced widespread flight cancellations due to the regional tensions. More than 570 flights to Gulf countries — including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar — have been cancelled since February 28.

Affected carriers include Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, Pakistan International Airlines, Airblue, Flydubai and Qatar Airways.

On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the government had taken comprehensive steps to facilitate Pakistanis stranded in Iran and other Gulf countries.

He said special facilitation desks had been established to assist returning Pakistani nationals. Pakistan’s embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulates in Jeddah and Dubai were actively assisting Pakistani citizens, while similar arrangements had also been set up in Tehran, Zahedan and Mashhad.

Officials said airspace closures and flight disruptions across several Gulf countries had caused Pakistan an estimated revenue shortfall of Rs20 billion.

Globally, the crisis has triggered widespread disruption in air travel. Despite governments and airlines arranging special flights to evacuate stranded travellers, more than 13,000 flights have been cancelled worldwide.

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, flights in the region account for around 900,000 seats daily, suggesting the number of affected travellers could already exceed one million.