KARACHI: Air travel disruptions continue at Jinnah International Airport, as six outbound flights were cancelled on Thursday due to technical and operational issues, according to a report by 24NewsHD TV.
Airport officials confirmed that the cancellations affected both domestic and international routes, causing inconvenience to hundreds of passengers.
Cancelled Flights Include Domestic and International Routes
As per the flight schedule, the Karachi to Kuala Lumpur flight (D7-109) was among the international departures cancelled earlier in the day. Another international route — the Karachi to Muscat Oman Air flight (WYO-324) — was also grounded due to unspecified operational reasons.
Similarly, AirChina’s Karachi to Beijing flight (CA-946) was suspended, affecting travelers heading to China amid growing business and transit traffic between the two countries.
On the domestic front, several flights to Islamabad and Lahore were also impacted. The AirBlue flight (PA-206) and AirSial flight (PF-125) scheduled for Islamabad were both cancelled, while AirSial’s Karachi to Lahore flight (PF-143) was suspended.
Passengers Face Travel Disruptions
Passengers who arrived at the airport were left frustrated after learning about the last-minute cancellations. Many complained about the lack of timely communication from airlines, while others expressed concern over the rising frequency of such operational issues.
Sources at the airport said that airlines are facing a combination of technical faults, low aircraft availability, and crew scheduling challenges, contributing to the disruptions.
“Some airlines are dealing with aircraft maintenance delays, while others have been hit by operational bottlenecks related to ground handling and staffing,” an aviation source explained.
Authorities Monitoring Situation
A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that flight operations across Karachi remain largely stable, and the situation is being closely monitored. The CAA added that airlines have been directed to coordinate with passengers promptly and offer rebooking or refunds as per aviation regulations.
Meanwhile, airport management has assured that all affected travelers are being assisted and that normal flight operations are expected to resume later in the evening.
The cancellations come amid fluctuating air traffic patterns and ongoing operational challenges facing multiple carriers operating in Pakistan.
