Following the official announcement of a ceasefire in the Persian Gulf, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has begun resuming flight operations to Gulf countries, restoring connectivity that was previously disrupted due to regional tensions.
According to a PIA spokesperson, the national flag carrier has restarted flight services from various cities in Pakistan to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Dubai. This marks the normalisation of air travel in the aftermath of the escalating conflict in the Middle East that caused widespread flight cancellations.
“Flight operations for Gulf countries are now moving towards full restoration,” the spokesperson said.
Delayed flights resume with adjusted schedules
Several PIA flights that had been delayed or cancelled due to the war-like security situation have now taken off, albeit behind schedule:
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Islamabad to Dammam (PK245) departed after a 15-hour delay
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Karachi to Medina (PK743) departed 14.5 hours late
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Lahore to Medina (PK713) took off 7 hours late from its scheduled departure at 1:30pm
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Sialkot to Sharjah (PK209) was delayed by 1 hour
The spokesperson added that return flights will also be affected by the delayed departures, and passengers are advised to plan accordingly.
Also Read: PIA suspends flights to Gulf countries
Passengers urged to stay updated
In light of the evolving situation, PIA is actively transferring affected passengers to alternate flights and working to restore operations to normal as swiftly as possible.
“Passengers can get the latest information regarding their flights by contacting the PIA call centre,” the spokesperson advised.
On Monday night, PIA suspended its flight operations to several Gulf countries, citing the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, particularly the Persian Gulf region.
According to a PIA spokesperson, all flights from Pakistan to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Dubai were canceled until further notice.
“PIA’s flight operations have been restricted due to the situation in the Persian Gulf. This decision was taken in view of the safety and security of our passengers and crew,” the airline spokesperson said in a statement.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by these cancellations, but the safety of our passengers is our top priority,” the airline added.
