Escalating tensions in Middle East disrupt regional air travel, with suspensions, cancellations, route diversions
Escalating tensions in the Middle East on Saturday disrupted regional air travel, prompting flight suspensions, cancellations and route diversions across Pakistani airports.
While Pakistan’s airspace remains fully available and secure, airlines have adjusted operations in response to the evolving security situation and restrictions in neighbouring airspace.
Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport witnessed extraordinary activity, with dozens of flights of foreign airlines diverted to Karachi, creating scenes reminiscent of the 1990 Gulf crisis.
According to aviation sources, a large number of foreign airlines were rerouted to Karachi as regional airspace restrictions and security concerns forced precautionary diversions. Several aircraft were temporarily parked during the day, while many others landed for refuelling.
The situation echoed 1990, when following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, dozens of passenger aircraft had landed in Karachi under similar circumstances. At that time, both the old airport terminal and the newly constructed Jinnah Terminal had been used to accommodate diverted aircraft.
In view of the extraordinary influx, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Saturday issued a formal NOTAM highlighting limited aircraft parking space at the airport and directing airlines and cockpit crew to ensure prior coordination before operating into Karachi.
A PAA spokesperson said overall, 27 flights were handled, including diversions, return flights, technical landings and rerouted operations.
Karachi airport alone managed 13 diversions, including technical refuelling stops. In addition, four diversions were recorded in the Lahore Flight Information Region, while two return diversions were handled at Islamabad Airport. Three flights returned to their original or alternate destinations, while five rerouted flights transited through Karachi’s airspace without landing and were provided alternate routes.
The sudden increase in traffic created operational challenges due to limited parking space, prompting airport authorities to caution airlines about possible delays. Officials confirmed that the situation was being closely monitored and managed.
