Middle East tensions ground flights, Pakistan aviation sector loses Rs20bn

Pakistan’s aviation sector has suffered an estimated Rs20 billion loss after major flight disruptions due to escalating tensions between Iran, US and Israel across the Middle East.

According to reports, air travel to and from Pakistan remained severely disrupted for the fifth consecutive day as several Gulf countries imposed airspace closures and restrictions. 

The war situation has forced Pakistani and international airlines to cancel 578 flights till now, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and significantly impacting airline revenues.

According to airport sources, 162 flights to Middle Eastern destinations were cancelled on Wednesday alone from major Pakistani airports including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad. 

Routes to key Gulf hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Sharjah, Kuwait and Bahrain were among the most affected.

At Jinnah International Airport, around 40 flights were cancelled, while Islamabad International Airport saw 38 cancellations. Lahore reported 28 cancelled flights, and Peshawar recorded 24 cancellations to various Gulf destinations. Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad airports also experienced disruptions.

Major international and domestic airlines that have been affected include Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways, Flydubai, Airblue, Fly Jinnah and PIA. 

Aviation officials reported that between 35 and 40 two-way flights are being cancelled daily due to restricted routes.

Airlines have advised passengers to confirm flight schedules through helplines before heading to airports as uncertainty in regional airspace continues.