UAE airlines resume flights as Pakistan restores full airspace operations

Express Tribune

11-05-2025

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UAE carriers have resumed flight operations to Pakistan and India following the ceasefire agreement reached between the two countries after four days of intense fighting, Gulf News reported.
UAE airlines—Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia—announced a partial resumption of services to Pakistan early Sunday, May 11, with operations subject to the evolving security situation in the region.
In a statement, the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) confirmed the full restoration of national airspace and released an updated Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). 'All airports across the country are now available for normal flight operations,' a PAA spokesperson said.
The authority has advised passengers to contact their respective airlines for updated schedules. Despite the reopening, officials warned that flight operations may take time to fully normalise, as several aircraft and ground service equipment had been relocated to secure locations during the escalation.
UAE aviation authorities also confirmed that major airports in the Emirates have restarted services for Pakistan-bound flights. Dubai International Airport reported resumed scheduled operations to Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar, and Islamabad. The first flight to Islamabad is scheduled to depart on May 12, while services to Peshawar will begin on May 13.
In Abu Dhabi, flights to Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore are now operational, although some flights have been rescheduled. Authorities have urged travelers to confirm their bookings with airlines or airport customer service. Similarly, Sharjah Airport has resumed services to Pakistan, with its national carrier continuing routine operations.
Major international airlines based in the UAE, including Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia, have also confirmed the phased resumption of flights to key Pakistani destinations beginning May 11.
However, despite these efforts, dozens of flights remained in limbo on Sunday. According to the official flight schedule, 45 flights from Karachi (including 39 international), 38 from Lahore (32 international), 40 from Islamabad (36 international), 11 from Peshawar, 10 from Multan, and 6 from Sialkot were canceled.
Meanwhile, flights between India and the UAE remain significantly disrupted. As of May 10, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other relevant agencies issued multiple NOTAMs announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports in northern and western India to all civil flights. These closures, effective from May 9 through 5:29 am IST on May 15, have been attributed to 'operational reasons,' according to the AAI.
Affected airports include key facilities in Amritsar, Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Bhuj, Leh, and others across Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir.
There have been no official updates from AAI since the initial notice, although sources report that many flights—both domestic and international—have been rerouted to India's main hubs, Delhi and Mumbai, resulting in significant delays and passenger inconvenience.