Pakistan's national air carrier has resumed direct, round-trip flights between Faisalabad and the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah. The official statement, released on Friday, indicated that this move aims to facilitate Umrah pilgrims.
The Saudi destinations of Jeddah and Madinah have consistently been profitable routes for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), despite the airline's status as a loss-making state-owned entity that the government is seeking to privatise. These routes are particularly lucrative due to the high volume of passengers travelling for religious purposes, such as the Umrah and Hajj pilgrimages.
Located near Makkah, Jeddah serves as a key gateway for pilgrims, ensuring a steady stream of revenue for PIA. The high demand for flights to these holy cities makes them some of the most profitable and heavily trafficked routes for the airline.
"PIA has resumed two-way flights from Faisalabad to Jeddah," the airline announced in a statement. "With the resumption of these flights, special facilities will be available, particularly for Umrah pilgrims."
PIA had scaled back its flight operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The resumed flights will now operate between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia twice a week.
The business community in Faisalabad, a major textile hub in the country, welcomed the initiative. PIA's Chief Commercial Officer, Nausherwan Adil, saw off at least 170 Umrah pilgrims as the first flight, PK763, departed from Faisalabad Airport for Saudi Arabia.
Adil emphasised that PIA has always strived to provide direct travel options for its passengers. He noted that the resumption of flights would also benefit overseas Pakistanis residing in Saudi Arabia for employment purposes.
