PIA resumes domestic, international flight operations: spokesperson

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed its domestic and international flight operation at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on Sunday, ARY News reported.

The national flag-carrier has officially announced the resumption of flight operations which was partially restored from Sunday morning after intense tension between Pakistan and India.

Flights PK-655 and PK-305 were departed to Islamabad and Karachi respectively from Lahore airport, the spokesperson said.

An international flight PK-225 will depart for Muscat at 12:45 Sunday midnight, whereas, Dubai-bound flights will be resumed from Monday morning. PK-203 was scheduled to depart for Dubai from Lahore airport tomorrow at 10:00 am.

All flights will be departed to domestic and international destinations as per routine, the spokesperson said.

The official said that passengers were being provided also given all facilities at the airport who faced difficulties following the delay in their flights after the airspace was temporarily closed.

Earlier in the day, flight operation at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, had been partially restored.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), flight operation of Lahore airport has been partially restored and all the airlines have been informed about it.

The CAA NOTAM said the Lahore airport would remain partially functioning till March 8.

While, operations at Sialkot, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan airports would remain suspended till Monday (tomorrow).

During the last four days more than four hundred flights and 25,000 passengers have been affected. PIA’s staff deputed at stations are working day and night to facilitate the passengers. More than 8,000 passengers have been transported to their destination since restoration of the flight operations.

The flight operations had been suspended at Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and other major airports of the country, after the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) jets as the latter violated the Line of Control on February 27.