KARACHI: Major airlines operating from Pakistan’s key airports are facing widespread disruptions, with numerous flight cancellations and delays affecting travellers across domestic and international routes.
Qatar Airways cancelled its round-trip flights 604 and 605 from Karachi to Doha. AirSial also suspended multiple flights, including round-trip flights 121 and 122 from Karachi to Islamabad, as well as several Karachi–Lahore flights such as 141, 142, 143, 144, 125, and 126. SalamAir’s flights from Muscat to Karachi were also cancelled, adding to the growing list of affected travellers.
The national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), continues to experience significant delays across several routes. Flight PK300 from Karachi to Islamabad faced a five-hour delay, while the Karachi–Lahore service was delayed by one hour and 20 minutes. Islamabad to Karachi flights PK301 and PK309 were delayed by four hours and one hour, respectively, while flights to Gilgit and Toronto faced delays of 42 minutes and 30 minutes. Additionally, PIA’s PK455 from Karachi to Skardu was cancelled.
AirBlue also reported delays, with its Lahore–Karachi flight PA401 departing 48 minutes late, while PIA’s PK303 departed one hour late. Qatar Airways’ flight 611 to Doha was delayed by ten minutes.
The disruptions come amid persistent operational challenges for Pakistan’s airlines, particularly PIA, which is currently facing an ongoing dispute with its aircraft engineers. These issues have significantly inconvenienced both domestic and international passengers, highlighting the urgent need for operational improvements to ensure timely flights.
Officials have advised travellers to confirm their flight status before heading to airports and to stay updated on announcements from the respective airlines to avoid further inconvenience.
