Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been forced to cancel eight flights and delay 35 others due to adverse weather conditions, causing significant disruptions to its flight schedule across the country. The inclement weather has particularly affected flight operations from major cities such as Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.
Canceled Flights
PIA announced the cancellation of several flights on Thursday. Among the canceled flights are PK-301 and PK-368, scheduled from Karachi to Islamabad, along with PK-455 and PK-456 from Karachi to Skardu. Additionally, four flights between Islamabad and Gilgit — PK-601, PK-602, PK-605, and PK-606 — had also been called off due to the poor weather conditions.
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Major Delays Across Domestic and International Routes
Apart from the cancellations, a number of flights have experienced significant delays. Flights from Karachi to international destinations such as Dubai, Damascus, Muscat, Madinah, Jeddah, and Baghdad had been delayed by one and a half to two and a half hours. The departure of PIA flight PK-301 from Islamabad was delayed by one and a half hours, while PK-302 to Lahore had been scheduled to depart at 11 a.m., three hours later than originally planned.
Flights between Lahore and Karachi, specifically PK-304 and PK-305, had been delayed by one and a half hours, and the Lahore-Dubai flight PK-335 departed an hour later. Additionally, Lahore-Muscat flight PK-229 had been delayed by four hours, with a new departure time of 2 p.m., while the Lahore-Bahrain flight PK-189 was set to depart at 11:30 p.m., five hours behind schedule.
Further Delays Affecting Multiple Routes
Other delayed flights include Lahore-Skardu PA-251 and Jeddah ER-801, both delayed by two hours. The Lahore-Dubai PA-216 and Riyadh PA-274 flights were each delayed by two and a half hours. Flights from Lahore to Sharjah, Dubai, Kuwait City, Jeddah, and Muscat are also expected to experience delays ranging from one and a half to two and a half hours.
PIA’s flight PK-894 from Islamabad to Kuala Lumpur was delayed by three hours, while the Islamabad-Dammam flight PK-245 was running two hours late. PIA’s Sialkot-Dammam flight PK-243 departed at 12:30 p.m., two and a half hours behind schedule. Additionally, a foreign airline flight, SV-795, from Multan to Jeddah, had been delayed by two and a half hours due to the weather conditions.
Cause of Disruptions
Karachi, a key hub for PIA, has been experiencing light to moderate rainfall over the past few days due to a new monsoon system entering Sindh from India’s Gujarat. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Karachi is expected to face heavy rain under this monsoon system, with the system currently positioned about 290 kilometers away from the city. The PMD had warned that heavy rainfall is expected between 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., potentially leading to urban flooding in the city.
The PMD’s Chief Meteorologist, Sardar Sarfaraz, has also forecasted wind thunderstorms with scattered heavy to isolated very heavy rainfall across the region. Passengers are being advised to confirm the status of their flights before heading to the airport to avoid inconvenience.
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The flight cancellations and delays have led to significant disruption for passengers, many of whom have faced lengthy waits and unexpected changes to their travel plans. PIA has urged passengers to stay updated on the status of their flights and to remain patient as the airline manages the challenges posed by the adverse weather conditions.