Malaysia Airlines to resume Jeddah, Madinah flights from March 4-8

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Malaysia Airlines will temporarily resume flights to and from Jeddah and Madinah from March 4 to 8 after suspending services on Feb 28 due to airspace closures resulting from

a war that broke out in Iran

and quickly spread to parts of the Middle East.

Flights to Doha will remain suspended until March 7 as the airline continues to assess the security situation, the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) said in a statement on March 3.

All other services, including flights to London and Paris, are operating as scheduled on alternative routes that avoid affected areas.

About 1,600 Malaysian umrah pilgrims are

stranded in Saudi Arabia

after flight cancellations and disruptions by several airlines, Malaysia’s Consul-General in Jeddah said on March 3.

Tengku Mohd Dzaraif Raja Abdul Kadir said the consulate has contacted most of the affected pilgrims, who are currently in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah.

“They are in good condition and the situation in Saudi Arabia, especially in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah, is also very good without any untoward incidents,” he said on Bernama TV’s Malaysia Petang Ini programme.

Most of the stranded pilgrims were scheduled to return to Malaysia on Malaysia Airlines flights as well as other carriers including Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad, he said.

MAG said passengers affected by the disruptions were being notified and assisted with alternative travel arrangements where necessary.

Travellers were advised to update their contact details through the airline’s “My Booking” portal to receive updates.

Assistance is also available via live chat on the airline’s website or through the Malaysia Airlines Global Contact Centre.

As services resume, Malaysia Airlines said it is taking additional precautions, including using alternative flight paths to avoid affected regions.

MAG said it will continue to monitor developments and take necessary measures to ensure safe and reliable operations.

“The safety of both passengers and crew is our top priority,” it said.

Global air travel remains severely disrupted after the war in Iran – set off by a wave of air strikes by US and Israel –

forced the closure of key Middle Eastern hubs

, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, stranding tens of thousands of passengers worldwide and disrupting thousands of flights.