Cathay extends flight suspension to Dubai, Riyadh until March 31 amid war

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has further suspended all flights to and from Dubai until the end of March amid the War in the Middle East.The airline announced on Tuesday that all services between Hong Kong and the commercial hub in the United Arab Emirates would be cancelled up to March 31.Flights travelling between the city and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia will also be suspended until the end of the month.The move extends an earlier suspension that had been set to run until March 14, following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.“We’re continuing to monitor the situation closely,” Cathay said in a statement. “Further changes to our flight schedule may be needed in the coming days with the safety of our customers and people being our first priority.”The move followed a week of heightened regional instability that has forced several global airlines to divert flights or avoid certain airspaces entirely as a precautionary measure.To mitigate the impact on travellers, Cathay said it had activated a comprehensive ticket waiver policy for those booked to travel between Hong Kong and the two cities up to April 30, allowing affected customers to rebook, divert or refund their tickets without the usual administrative fees.