Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport experienced the cancellation of twenty-one flights from various airlines on Friday. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reported that both domestic and international flights were impacted, with 14 domestic flights by various carriers and seven international flights from different airlines being canceled.
The airlines have attributed these cancellations to operational reasons, according to the CAA. Among the domestic routes affected were flights to Islamabad, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Faisalabad, Peshawar, and Turbat.
On the international front, flights to destinations such as Baku, Jeddah, Madinah, Dubai, Muscat, and Riyadh were canceled. This disruption affected several airlines, including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Emirates, Air Sial, Fly Jinnah, and Air Blue.
PIA, which is currently facing significant financial challenges, has been compelled to cancel numerous domestic and international flights due to its ongoing cash flow crisis. A senior official from the national flag carrier had previously warned that flight operations could be suspended by September 15 (today) if emergency funds were not provided.
It’s important to note that PIA had requested an emergency bailout of Rs22.9 billion, which was denied by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).
