Air travel between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has restarted, with flights now operating from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah airports to multiple destinations in Pakistan.
According to UAE aviation authorities, major airports in the Emirates have restarted operations for Pakistan-bound flights. Dubai Airport officials confirmed scheduled flights to Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar, and Islamabad.
The first flight to Islamabad is set to depart on May 12, while services to Peshawar will begin on May 13.
In Abu Dhabi, flights to Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore are running again. However, officials have said that some flights from Abu Dhabi to Pakistan have been rescheduled, and passengers are advised to check with their airlines or airport customer service for the latest updates.
Flights from Abu Dhabi are expected to be back to their normal schedule by May 12.
Sharjah Airport has also resumed flights to Pakistan, and the Sharjah national airline is continuing its regular operations.
Even though Pakistan reopened its airspace after the fighting with India stopped on Saturday, flights across the country still faced major disruptions. Over 150 flights were cancelled due to ongoing uncertainty and logistical issues.
Aviation sources said that many flights were still uncertain. On Sunday alone, 45 flights from Karachi (including 39 international), 38 from Lahore (including 32 international), 40 from Islamabad (including 36 international), 11 from Peshawar, 10 from Multan, and 6 from Sialkot were cancelled, according to the official schedule.
At the same time, more than 25 flights did operate from cities like Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Faisalabad, and Quetta.
Around 125 international flights, both arriving and departing, were cancelled by major foreign airlines, causing big problems for international travellers. Many flights between Karachi and Lahore or Islamabad are now being diverted through Quetta because the Rahim Yar Khan air route is closed.
A notice from aviation authorities said that this air route will stay closed until 5am on May 18. Because of this, flights from Gulf countries to cities like Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad are taking longer due to detours.
The airport was partly damaged during an Indian airstrike on Friday.
Meanwhile, airlines are making efforts to keep Hajj flights going and are working to maintain operations despite the difficulties at major airports.
A day ago, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced that the country’s airspace had been fully reopened for all categories of flights.
The announcement followed US President Donald Trump’s declaration that India and Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire after Pakistan's military response to Indian aggression.
