Air travel to and from Pakistan were disrupted for the fifth consecutive day due to airspace closures due to tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Since February 28, Pakistani and foreign airlines have been forced to cancel 578 flights due to airspace closures in several Gulf countries, causing a loss of Rs20 billion in revenue shortfall.
According to airport sources, 162 flights to Middle Eastern destinations were cancelled from Pakistan’s international airports on Wednesday alone. These included flights from Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad to destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Sharjah, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jeddah, Al Ain, Najaf and Ras Al Khaimah.
PIA has limited the use of A320 aircraft due to airspace restrictions, while alternative routes are being operated using Boeing 777 aircraft. All airlines have advised passengers to confirm their flights through helplines before travelling to airports. Industry sources said the airline sector had suffered losses running into millions of dollars due to flight cancellations and prolonged disruptions.