ISLAMABAD: Flight operations across Pakistan remained severely crippled for a second consecutive day on Thursday, as escalating hostilities in the Middle East—compounded by a defiant late-night address by US President Donald Trump—forced the cancellation of dozens of international flights.
The disruption, which has left thousands of passengers stranded, comes as President Trump’s latest televised speech confirmed that “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran will continue for at least another two to three weeks. In his remarks, the US President signaled that military objectives are nearing completion but warned of “extremely hard” strikes in the coming days, effectively dashing hopes for an immediate ceasefire and keeping regional airspace in a state of high alert.
According to reports gathered by MM News from aviation sources, a total of 64 bilateral flights scheduled between Pakistan’s five international airports and various Middle Eastern destinations were scrubbed on April 2.
Islamabad’s Islamabad International Airport (IIAP) bore the brunt of the crisis, recording 34 cancellations. These included high-traffic routes to Al-Fujirah, Sharjah, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Tehran, Dubai, Bahrain, Riyadh, and Doha.
Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport followed as the second most affected hub, with 18 two-way flights cancelled. The affected sectors included Karachi to Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Mashhad, Sharjah, Madinah, Doha, and Dubai.
Nationwide Disruptions
The impact was felt across the country’s aviation network:
– Peshawar: 8 bilateral flights to Dammam, Dubai, Doha, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi were called off.
– Lahore: 2 bilateral flights, including the Dammam sector, were suspended.
– Multan: 2 bilateral flights to Dubai were cancelled.
The cancellations affected a wide array of carriers, including national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), as well as Airblue, AirArabia, Iran Air, Qatar Airways, and FlyDubai.
Industry insiders suggest the persistent volatility is creating a historic backlog. Data from airport sources reveals a staggering cumulative toll: over the past 33 days—coinciding with the onset of the current regional conflict—the total number of cancelled flights from Pakistan to the Middle East has reached 2,592.
With President Trump’s latest speech suggesting that the US is “on-track” to complete its military objectives but will not halt operations until Iran’s “missile and nuclear capabilities” are neutralized, aviation experts warn that the closure of key air corridors and the resulting scheduling chaos may persist well into the month.
Travelers have been advised by various airlines management as well as travel agents to contact their respective airlines for rebooking, though many remains uncertain as the regional security situation continues to evolve rapidly.
