All airports resume normal operations as Pakistan reopens airspace

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has officially announced that Pakistani airspace is now open for all types of traffic, allowing domestic and international airlines to operate according to their schedules without disruption on Friday.

According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the PAA in a statement said all airports across the country have been cleared for landing and take-off, and multiple NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) relating to the current security situation have been cancelled.

While the entire national airspace is fully operational, a few specific routes within Lahore Airport’s airspace remain temporarily closed for operational reasons.

The PAA reassured the public and international stakeholders that there is no disruption in scheduled air services. Sialkot International Airport, for example, has resumed operations for all inbound and outbound flights, with the authority confirming that all domestic and international flights are running smoothly.

In an official statement, a PAA spokesperson reiterated that “all airports in Pakistan are fully operational, and the national airspace is safe for civil aviation operations. Passengers should verify flight timings with their respective airlines to ensure a seamless travel experience amid the current security environment.”

However, the authority also strongly condemned India’s recent irresponsible actions, which they say posed a serious threat to civil aviation in the region. Pakistan has formally notified the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regarding these developments and the potential risks associated with such provocations.

Gulf airlines suspend flights

Several Gulf airlines have temporarily suspended their flights operations for Pakistan after repeated closure of the airspace due to security reasons.

All flights of Qatar, Emirates, Ittehad and Saudi Airline have been cancelled.

The flights will be back to normal once the situation improves.

The airlines said passengers are not allowed to travel to Pakistan through connecting flights. They urged travellers not to come to the airport.

Qatar Airways flights resume

Earlier in the day, Qatar Airways flight operation was resumed as Qatar Airways flight QR-604 from Doha to Karachi landed at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport at 4 am.

Moreover, Qatar Airways return flight QR-605 from Karachi landed at Doha at 8 am while Qatar Airways' second flight QR-610 landed in Karachi from Doha some time ago.

Further, PIA's flight PK-302 from Karachi to Lahore has departed while PIA has cancelled its 7 am Karachi to Islamabad flight PK-300.

However, Air Arabia, Flydubai, Turkish Airlines have not resumed their flights yet.

AirSial, Air Blue, FlyJinnah's flights to Islamabad and Lahore have departed.

Reporters: Saeed Ahmad Saeed, Tayyab Saif and Ashraf Khan