JEDDAH – Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced on Saturday the resumption of its flights to Riyadh and Dammam. Flights to Riyadh (PR654) depart Manila every Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:15 a.m., arriving at King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, at 1:30 p.m. of the same day. Flights to Dammam (PR682) leave Manila every Monday, Tuesday and Saturday at 1:35 p.m., arriving at King Fahd International Airport, Dammam, at 6 p.m. of the same day. PAL will utilize its brand-new twin-engine Airbus 330-300 aircraft on the nonstop flights to Riyadh and Dammam. PAL's direct flight to these Middle East destinations is the most convenient travel between Manila and the Kingdom, the flag carrier said. The A330-300 is PAL's new flagship for medium-range routes, replacing the older A330 models that were acquired from 1997 to 1998. The new A330-300 is especially designed for the cost-conscious Filipino market in the Middle East, but without sacrificing the comfort level. It accommodates 414 passengers, configured into two classes—Premium Economy, with 39 seats, and Economy, with 375 seats. PAL ordered 20 A330-300 from Airbus. They first arrived on September 26, 2013. PAL first flew to Riyadh on March 1, 1987. The service was suspended in March 2011. Flights to Dammam started on July 3, 1982, landing at Dhahran International Airport. – Agencies
