ISLAMABAD: More than 60 flights between Pakistan and destinations in the Arab Gulf were canceled at various Pakistani airports in the last 24 hours, officials said on Tuesday, amid widescale regional airspace disruptions due to heightened tensions in Middle East.
Several regional countries shut down their airspace when Tehran launched strikes against US bases in the Gulf following US-Israeli strikes on Iran last Saturday. The conflict has affected key air corridors and forced airlines to cancel or reroute thousands of flights.
Pakistani officials said more than 369 international and domestic flights have been canceled nationwide since the conflict began, with most of them scheduled to fly between Pakistan and destinations in the Middle East.
Around 64 international flights scheduled for Middle East destinations were canceled on Tuesday alone due to the geopolitical developments in the Middle East, while several others were diverted to airports in the South Asian country, according to authorities.
“The bulk of diverted flights [mainly to Karachi] have already departed after refueling or necessary rest,” the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said. “Airlines have efficiently arranged alternative flights for their passengers to original or onward destinations.”
Of the 64 canceled flights, 39 were grounded in Karachi, 10 in Lahore, four in Islamabad, six in Multan, and five in Faisalabad, with destinations including Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat, Bahrain and Riyadh.
Meanwhile, several foreign aircraft also remained stranded at various airports.
“One Air Arabia aircraft was stationed at Peshawar’s Bacha Khan International Airport,” the PCAA said on Tuesday morning. “Another Air Arabia plane remained at Sialkot International Airport with a planned departure at 6:00 pm.”
Two Air Arabia Airbus A320s and one Qatar Airways Boeing 777 were still on the ground at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, according to the authority. In Islamabad, one Gulf Air Airbus A320 was parked at the airport.
The aviation authority said passengers affected by earlier diversions had been accommodated at hotels by their respective airlines and rebooked on subsequent flights.
The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said it was in close coordination with airlines to ensure safe and smooth flight operations.
Khan advised passengers to stay in touch with their respective airlines for flight updates to avoid inconvenience.
“The most accurate and up-to-date information on flight statuses, including any cancelations or changes, is maintained and communicated directly by the individual airlines as they hold real-time passenger and schedule data,” he said.
Separately on Tuesday, the PAA denied media reports of a partial closure of Pakistani airspace between March 3 and March 31 and said the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) cited in these reports had announced temporary unavailability of specific route segments due to “standard operational reasons.”
“Pakistan’s entire airspace remains fully open, safe, and available for all civil aviation traffic, including commercial flights. Air traffic services continue without interruption, and alternative routing options are routinely used for affected flows,” it said.
“There are no restrictions on commercial operations, arrivals, departures, or overflights across Pakistan. Our air traffic controllers and airport teams are fully operational and managing traffic normally.”
