PIA flight escapes missile attack during landing at Fujairah Airport

FUJAIRAH: A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight narrowly avoided danger when a missile attack occurred near the naval headquarters adjacent to Fujairah Airport during landing.

Flight PK-175 landed safely at 6:00 a.m. with 123 passengers and 8 crew members on board. Smoke from the missile attack briefly enveloped the area, causing panic among passengers and crew.

The PIA flights PK-173 and PK-175 had arrived from Islamabad to Fujairah Airport. The situation remained under control, though there were minor delays in returning flights.

According to a PIA spokesperson, both aircraft safely returned to Lahore and Islamabad without any injuries.

Earlier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) received permission to operate two daily flights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid the evolving security situation in the Middle East.

According to airline officials, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been granted approval to operate one daily flight to Dubai and another to Abu Dhabi.

Read More: Fauji Fertiliser gets PC nod to join PIA buyer consortium

Earlier, the airline had also received permission to resume flights to Dammam. However, flights to the Saudi city have been temporarily suspended after a missile attack on Bahrain heightened security concerns in the region, PIA sources said.

Despite the regional tensions, flight operations to Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina are continuing as per routine schedule. Officials said flights to Saudi Arabia are currently using routes over the Arabian Sea and passing through Yemen to reach their destinations.

Meanwhile, PIA flights bound for Europe and Canada are facing disruptions due to the closure of Iranian airspace. As a result, aircraft are being rerouted through Afghanistan’s Wakhan corridor before proceeding to destinations in Europe and North America, sources added.

Thousands of flights canceled after Iran-Israel-US conflict 

Global air travel remained heavily disrupted on Sunday as the war in Iran kept major Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai, the world’s busiest international hub, closed for a second day in one of the sharpest aviation shocks in recent years.

Key transit airports, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Doha in Qatar, were shut or severely restricted as much of the region’s airspace remained closed after U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The ripple effects were felt far beyond the Middle East, with tens of thousands of passengers stranded as far as Bali, Kathmandu and Frankfurt.