A multitude of flight cancellations and delays has resulted in considerable disruptions to air travel from Karachi and Lahore airports, leaving numerous passengers stuck and generating a ripple effect on both international and local routes.
Seventeen flights operated by different airlines have been cancelled in Karachi within the last 24 hours. Both international and national airlines were among those impacted.
Five foreign flights, including destinations such as Baku, Baghdad, Muscat, Colombo, and Doha, were cancelled due to a confluence of issues, including a dearth of aircraft among private airlines and insufficient passenger volume. The following flights were cancelled:
Flight 410 of an international carrier to Baghdad
Flight 152 to Colombo operated by an alternative international airline
Flight EK 605 to Dubai, conducted by a foreign carrier
Flight QR 611 to Doha has also been cancelled by an international airline.
PIA flight PK 503 to Gwadar has been affected. Private airline services had significant disruptions, resulting in the cancellation of several internal routes, including flights from Karachi to Islamabad and Lahore. These comprised:
Private airline ER 500 en route to Islamabad
Private airline PF 143 en route to Lahore
Private airline ER 522 en route to Lahore
Private airline flight PF 125 destined for Islamabad
Numerous other private carriers have experienced cancellations owing to insufficient passenger volumes, as travellers seek alternative routes.
Airport officials reported that the persistent pollution in Lahore and other areas of Punjab had resulted in a temporary suspension of flight operations; however, improved weather conditions had facilitated smoother operations in certain places.
The situation in Lahore was similarly dire, with numerous planes cancelled or delayed. Fly Jinnah flight 500, en route from Lahore to Sharjah, was cancelled, whereas AirSial aircraft PF 716 to Jeddah experienced a significant 13-hour delay, presently set to depart at 10 p.m.
Likewise, Serene Air flight ER 812 to Jeddah is now scheduled to depart six hours late at 2 p.m.
Additional delays encompassed AirSial aircraft PF 142 from Lahore to Karachi, which is now scheduled to depart three hours late, at 1 p.m. The delays and cancellations have been ascribed to operational restrictions; nevertheless, airport officials are striving to ensure the remaining planes operate seamlessly.
