CAA says Pakistan’s airspace to close for all transit flights till tomorrow

KARACHI: Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed for all transit flights till tomorrow (March 9), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Friday.

As per a CAA notification, the airspace has been closed for all overflying (transit) flights till March 9 10:00EST.

The airspace has been closed for all overflying flights from east to west and west to east till 3pm on March 9 while some transit flights between the north and south of Pakistan’s airspace have been permitted.

Further, Sialkot, Rahim Yar Khan and Sukkur airports which were set to reopen today will remain closed for an additional 24 hours.

For entry and exit into and out of Pakistan, only specific airspace can be used, the notification added.

Airports across Pakistan where flight operations were resumed earlier this week will continue to operate as per schedule till 5am on March 15. Flight operations at Karachi, Multan, Chitral, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and Faisalabad airports will run as per schedule till 5am on March 15.

Flight operations at most airports had resumed over the week, however, the reopening of the airspace nationwide had been delayed.

Pakistan had closed its airspace last week following escalating ties with India.

Flights between Asia and Europe were disrupted, stranding thousands of passengers, although airlines were later able to reroute through China many flights that normally pass over Pakistan.

Flights from Singapore to Europe that usually cross Pakistan and Afghanistan, for example, were rerouted westwards over Oman, adding more than an hour’s flying time and boosting fuel costs. Iran also saw heavier use of its airspace, officials said.