Flight operations 'improve' across Pakistan as airlines boost services for Eidul Fitr

KARACHI: Airlines have increased flight operations to facilitate passengers on Eidul Fitr 2026, as aviation activity begins to stabilise across Pakistan despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East, ARY News reported on Friday, citing sources.

According to airport sources, a total of 31 flights departed from major airports including Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, and Sialkot. Due to operational adjustments, flights that were previously routed to Fujairah were redirected to Al Ain.

The number of flight cancellations has also declined significantly, dropping from over 100 to 42, indicating gradual normalisation of flight schedules.

Meanwhile, inbound flight activity has picked up from key regional hubs including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh, and Dammam, reflecting improved connectivity ahead of the Eidul Fitr holiday.

Officials say the increase in operations is aimed at ensuring passengers can reach their destinations in time for Eid, while maintaining flexibility in response to the evolving regional situation.

For now, most carriers in the Middle East region are retaining planned capacity and operating flights where feasible, rather than making structural network adjustments.

However, forward planning has slowed, with few new route announcements to the Middle East in recent weeks as airlines adopt a wait-and-see approach amid uncertainty over the duration of the disruption.

The effects have been most pronounced among Gulf carriers, whose hub-and-spoke models rely on stable regional operations and uninterrupted transfer flows.