International airlines have cancelled most of their flights for 28 February in response to the airspace closure by Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority. Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority closed its airspace for commercial airliners after the recent tensions with neighbour India on Wednesday by issuing a NOTAM. Most airlines cancelled their flights on Wednesday or called their aircraft back. Aircraft that were present at Pakistani airports were allowed to leave and Emirates, Oman Air and Saudi Airlines flights departed from Karachi that was diverted there. Some of PIA aircraft returned to Karachi including an Airblue plane that was returning from Dubai. A Singapore airways A380 arrived 6 hours late due to delays and a refuelling stopover at Dubai airport. AirFrance KLM flights to Asia stopped over in Bucharest to refuel.
International airlines responded to this by cancelling their flights. Most affected by this was Thai Airways that not only cancelled its flight to Pakistan but also to Europe due to air space closure.
Thai Airways
THAI Cancels Flights to Pakistan and all European Routes Due to Pakistani Airspace Closure
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) announced that its flights to Pakistan have been cancelled due to the sudden closure of Pakistani airspace as a result of tension between India and Pakistan.
Flight Lieutenant Pratana Patanasiri, THAI Vice President, Aviation Safety, Security and Standards Department, said that Pakistani airspace closed suddenly due to tension between India and Pakistan. Therefore, THAI has cancelled its flights to Pakistan and flights operated through Pakistani airspace on 27 February 2019, as follows:
– Flights TG341 and TG342 to and from Bangkok-Karachi
– Flights TG345 and TG346 to and from Bangkok-Lahore
– Flights TG349 and TG350 to and from Bangkok-Islamabad
Three flights operate through Pakistani airspace today are as follows:
– Flight TG916 from Bangkok-London
– Flight TG974 from Bangkok-Moscow
– Flight TG926 from Bangkok-Frankfurt
The above-mentioned flights were returned to Bangkok and arrived safely at Suvarnabhumi Airport today. THAI has looked after passengers affected by flight cancellations, in accordance with international standards.
Furthermore, THAI has cancelled the following11 flights to destinations in Europe that were operated on 27 and 28 February 2019, in order to maintain the highest passenger and operational safety standards:
On 27 February 2019:
– Flight TG920 from Bangkok-Frankfurt
On 28 February 2019:
– Flight TG910 from Bangkok-London
– Flight TG924 from Bangkok-Munich
– Flight TG930 from Bangkok-Paris
– Flight TG934 from Bangkok-Brussels
– Flight TG940 from Bangkok-Milan
– Flight TG936 from Bangkok-Vienna
– Flight TG960 from Bangkok-Stockholm
– Flight TG970 from Bangkok-Zurich
– Flight TG950 from Bangkok-Copenhagen
– Flight TG954 from Bangkok-Oslo
The following flights from destinations in Europe to Bangkok on 27 February 2019 have been cancelled:
– Flight TG911 from London-Bangkok
– Flight TG921 from Frankfurt-Bangkok
– Flight TG931 from Paris-Bangkok
– Flight TG941 from Milan-Bangkok
– Flight TG945 from Rome-Bangkok
– Flight TG971 from Zurich-Bangkok
– Flight TG951 from Copenhagen-Bangkok
– Flight TG961 from Stockholm-Bangkok
– Flight TG955 from Oslo-Bangkok
– Flight TG925 from Munich-Bangkok
THAI said that it is monitoring the situation closely in order to properly assess the situation and plans to operate flights on an alternative route that does not pass Pakistan and is now awaiting for airspace authorization.
THAI advises all passengers travelling on the aforementioned flights to check the Company’s announcements and keep abreast of all related news. For information on flight schedules, passengers may check at thaiairways.com or THAI Contact Center at Tel. 0-356-1111, 24-hours a day.
THAI passengers who hold tickets on routes affected by flight cancellation may change their itinerary. Fees and charges will be exempted, and conditions apply.
THAI operates flights to three destinations in Pakistan: one flight per day to Karachi and Lahore and four flights per week to Islamabad on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Emirates
The flights cancelled on 27th February are:
· EK637 Peshawar- Dubai
· EK601 Karachi- Dubai
· EK602 and EK603 Dubai- Karachi- Dubai
· EK608 and EK609 Dubai- Karachi- Dubai
· EK606 Dubai- Karachi
· EK640 and EK641 Dubai- Kabul- Dubai
· EK614 Dubai- Islamabad
· EK622 Dubai- Lahore
· EK8618 and EK8619 Dubai- Lahore- Dubai
And flights cancelled for 28th February are:
· EK604 and EK605 Dubai- Karachi- Dubai
· EK600 and EK601 Dubai- Karachi- Dubai
· EK607 Karachi- Dubai
· EK615 Islamabad- Dubai
· EK612 and EK613 Dubai- Islamabad-Dubai
· EK623 Lahore- Dubai
· EK636 and EK637 Dubai- Peshawar- Dubai
· EK620 and EK621 Dubai- Sialkot- Dubai
Emirates has asked customers to contact their local travel agent or local Emirates office for assistance. It has also requested customers travelling on the affected flights not to proceed to the airport. Customers are also requested to ensure their contact details are correct by visiting Manage Your Booking to receive update notifications.
Flydubai
On the other hand Emirates group airline, Flydubai has also cancelled flights to Pakistan.
The flights cancelled on 27th February are:
FZ343 DXB LYP 0740 1026
FZ344 LYP DXB 1130 1505
FZ339 DXB MUX 0755 1028
FZ340 MUX DXB 1125 1450
FZ335 DXB KHI 0820 1019
FZ336 KHI DXB 1110 1335
FZ337 DXB SKT 0830 1133
FZ338 SKT DXB 1230 1620
FZ341 DXB UET 1510 1730
FZ342 UET DXB 1830 2120
FZ329 DXB KHI 1700 1905
FZ330 KHI DXB 2005 2230
FZ331 DXB KHI 2045 2245
FZ332 KHI DXB 2345 0220
The flights cancelled on 28th February are:
FZ323 DXB LYP 0115 0400
FZ324 LYP DXB 0500 0840
FZ327 DXB SKT 0135 0440
FZ328 SKT DXB 0540 0930
FZ333 DXB KHI 0155 0355
FZ334 KHI DXB 0455 0720
FZ325 DXB MUX 0210 0455
FZ326 MUX DXB 0555 0850
FZ343 DXB LYP 0740 1025
FZ344 LYP DXB 1130 1505
FZ339 DXB MUX 0755 1025
FZ340 MUX DXB 1125 1450
FZ335 DXB KHI 0820 1020
FZ336 KHI DXB 1110 1335
FZ337 DXB SKT 0830 1130
FZ338 SKT DXB 1230 1620
FZ341 DXB UET 1510 1730
FZ342 UET DXB 1830 2120
FZ329 DXB KHI 1700 1905
FZ330 KHI DXB 2005 2230
FZ331DXB KHI 2045 2245
FZ332 KHI DXB 2345 0220
Flydubai has asked passengers who booked to travel to and from Pakistan to contact their Travel Agent or the airline Contact Centre in Dubai on (+971) 600 54 44 45 or their Contact Centre in Pakistan on (+92) 111 2255 39 to rebook to a later flight or receive a full refund.
Suadi Airlines
Saudi Arabia Airline Saudia announced that it has cancelled all flights to and from Pakistan till 1 March. The airline informed its passengers to contact the contacts given below. Today one of Saudi airline’s Boeing 747 was caught in the chaos as it was heading towards Multan. But eventually it was diverted to Karachi and it departed late on Wednesday evening taking its passengers from Karachi back to Saudi Arabia.
Oman Air
The Gulf carrier announced the cancellation of its flights later in the day. It flies to Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad and has cancelled all the flights until further notice. One of Oman Air’s Boeing 737 was caught in the chaos as it was heading towards Lahore. But eventually it was diverted to Karachi and it departed late on Wednesday before Saudia 747 in the evening taking its passengers from Karachi back to Muscat.
Gulf Air
Bahrain’s Gulf Air was the first to announce the suspension of its all flights to and from Pakistan. suspended with immediate effect due to the closure of Pakistani airspace
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has issues NOTAM (notice to airmen) on Wednesday, officially closing Pakistani airspace for airliners.
BREAKING: CAA Pakistan issues NOTAM (notice to airmen) officially closing Pakistani airspace for airkiners. pic.twitter.com/QiPE5dZcwg
— Tahir Imran Mian ✈ (@TahirImran) February 27, 2019