UAE flights to select destinations in Pakistan remain suspended; flydubai, Emirates issue new travel updates

EK_220119 — Emirates Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: Although airport operations in Pakistan have resumed, flights to select destinations in the Asian country remain suspended today, according to UAE-based airlines.

Seats on journeys to and from Pakistan this week may also be fast running out, as airlines try to accommodate and prioritise passengers that were affected by the Pakistani airspace closure last week, although bigger planes are being deployed. Due to the backlog, some outbound UAE travellers may find that the earliest booking they can get is next week.

"Services have been upgraded to larger aircraft where possible to accommodate previously disrupted guests," an Etihad spokesperson told Gulf News.‎

Emirates confirmed that trips to Sialkot are still cancelled, although flights to Lahore were reinstated only on Sunday.

“Due to the closure of Pakistani airspace, Emirates flights to/from Sialkot, Pakistan on 3rd and 4th March have been cancelled. Flights to and from Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar are no longer affected by the closure and have resumed," a spokesperson said.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience caused to our customers. The safety of our passengers and crew is of the utmost importance and will not be compromised.”

At flydubai, services on the Faisalabad, Sialkot and Multan routes also remain cancelled on Sunday and Monday.

However, flydubai flights to Karachi and Quetta will operate to schedule, the airline confirmed.

All Etihad Airways flights to Pakistan, on the other hand, have returned to normal operations following the reopening of airspace.

"Non-Pakistan flights, including India and East Asia routes, continue to operate while avoiding Pakistan airspace.The safety and security of our guests will always be our number one priority at Etihad Airways, and we continue to monitor the situation."

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, flights to all Pakistani airports from the UAE were cancelled on Wednesday, leaving scores of passengers stranded at terminals.

Some flights to India were affected as well, including those operated by Spicejet, Indigo and Airblue.

Pakistan closed its airspace for commercial use on Wednesday.

Since not all services have been fully restored, passengers are advised to continue checking with their airline or travel agency for further updates.