Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) faced significant operational setbacks, leading to numerous flights’ abrupt cancellations and delays due to critical fuel shortages and associated financial constraints. On Tuesday alone, the national carrier was compelled to cancel 24 flights, 11 international and 13 domestic, with an additional spate of cancellations extending into Wednesday. A PIA representative attributed these disruptions to restricted daily fuel allocations and operational challenges, impacting several flights to destinations like Dubai, Muscat, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait.
In the wake of these cancellations, PIA asserted that affected passengers were re-accommodated on alternative flights. Furthermore, passengers have been urged to verify their flight status through PIA’s official communication channels before heading to the airport, highlighting ongoing airline operation uncertainties amidst the fuel crisis.
List of Recently Cancelled PIA Flights
The fuel shortage’s rippling effects have led to a substantial list of flight cancellations for PIA. Specific flights cancelled included various routes:
- International: Key flights connecting Pakistan with several Middle Eastern destinations, including services to and from Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, and Kuwait.
- Domestic: Several flights within Pakistan’s major cities, including services between Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Turbat, Quetta, Skardu, and Gilgit.
The scenario mirrored these disruptions, with numerous flights, especially those connecting Karachi with Lahore and Islamabad, and several services between Pakistan and UAE destinations like Dubai and Abu Dhabi facing cancellation. The operational chaos extended, affecting not only passengers but also the broader scheduling logistics within PIA’s network. The airline’s predicament underscores the broader challenges looming over its financial and operational stability, urging immediate redressal and systemic intervention.