Pakistan International Airlines has received permission to operate two daily services to the United Arab Emirates amid the evolving security situation in the Middle East.
According to airline officials, PIA will operate one daily flight to Dubai and another to Abu Dhabi. The approvals come as airlines across the region adjust operations due to security risks and changing airspace availability.
PIA Flights Dubai and Abu Dhabi
PIA sources said the airline had earlier also received permission to resume flights to Dammam. However, those services have been temporarily suspended following a missile attack on Bahrain that heightened security concerns.
Despite the developments, PIA flights to Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina are continuing according to schedule.
Officials said flights to Saudi Arabia are currently operating via routes over the Arabian Sea and then passing through Yemen before reaching their destinations.
Iran Airspace Closure Forces Reroutes
PIA’s long-haul operations are also being affected by the closure of Iranian airspace.
Flights heading to Europe and Canada are facing disruptions and are being rerouted through Afghanistan’s Wakhan corridor before continuing toward Europe and North America, airline sources added.
Read: Pakistan Airspace Remains Fully Open, PAA Denies Flight Restrictions
These diversions are part of broader aviation disruptions linked to the ongoing Iran-Israel-US conflict, which has led to closures and severe restrictions at major transit hubs.
Wider Impact on Global Air Travel
Air travel across the Middle East has been heavily disrupted, with major airports facing closures or restrictions as regional airspace conditions change rapidly.
Earlier reports indicated that key transit airports, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, faced shutdowns or severe restrictions, leaving large numbers of passengers stranded worldwide including in destinations far beyond the Middle East.
As airlines continue to respond to the situation, PIA’s resumption of two daily flights to the UAE provides a limited but important operational window for passengers travelling between Pakistan and the UAE.
