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). “Airlines have efficiently arranged alternative flights for their passengers to original or onward destinations.”
