PIA & other airlines resumes flights to Gulf countries after Iran-Israel ceasefire

Following the official announcement of a ceasefire in the Persian Gulf, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has begun resuming flight operations to Gulf countries, restoring connectivity that was previously disrupted due to regional tensions.

According to a PIA spokesperson, the national flag carrier has restarted flight services from various cities in Pakistan to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Dubai. This marks the normalisation of air travel in the aftermath of the escalating conflict in the Middle East that caused widespread flight cancellations.

“Flight operations for Gulf countries are now moving towards full restoration,” the spokesperson said.

Several PIA flights that had been delayed or cancelled due to the war-like security situation have now taken off, albeit behind schedule:

Islamabad to Dammam (PK245) departed after a 15-hour delay

Karachi to Medina (PK743) departed 14.5 hours late

Lahore to Medina (PK713) took off 7 hours late from its scheduled departure at 1:30pm

Sialkot to Sharjah (PK209) was delayed by 1 hour

The spokesperson added that return flights will also be affected by the delayed departures, and passengers are advised to plan accordingly. 

In light of the evolving situation, PIA is actively transferring affected passengers to alternate flights and working to restore operations to normal as swiftly as possible.

“Passengers can get the latest information regarding their flights by contacting the PIA call centre,” the spokesperson advised.

On Monday night, PIA suspended its flight operations to several Gulf countries, citing the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, particularly the Persian Gulf region.

According to a PIA spokesperson, all flights from Pakistan to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Dubai were canceled until further notice. 

“PIA’s flight operations have been restricted due to the situation in the Persian Gulf. This decision was taken in view of the safety and security of our passengers and crew,” the airline spokesperson said in a statement.

“We deeply regret the inconvenience caused by these cancellations, but the safety of our passengers is our top priority,” the airline added. 

Air India on Tuesday said it will progressively resume flights to the Middle East as airspaces are gradually reopening in the region and most of the operations will resume from June 25.

“Flights to and from Europe, previously cancelled, are also being progressively reinstated from today, while services to and from the East Coast of the US and Canada will resume at the earliest opportunity,” the airline said in a statement.

On Monday, Air India temporarily suspended operations to these regions in the wake of the rising tensions in the Middle East. Some countries in the region had also closed their airspaces.

“Some flights may experience delays or cancellations due to consequential impacts and extended re-routings/flight times, but we are committed to minimising disruptions and restoring our schedule integrity. Air India will continue to avoid airspaces assessed as unsafe at any given time,” the airline said on Tuesday.

El Al Israel Airlines (ELAL.TA), opens new tab is working on an airlift to bring back to Israel tens of thousands of travellers stranded by widespread flight cancellations following the start of the Israel-Iran war on June 13, it said on Tuesday.

El Al, Israel's flag carrier, said that in the wake of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after 12 days of fighting and with the gradual opening of Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, it would boost its schedule, use its full fleet and add thousands of seats in the next 24 hours.

The airline - which has cancelled regular flights through June 27 - said it would operate one-way flights from New York, Los Angeles, Bangkok, London, Paris, Rome, Athens, Budapest, Bucharest and Tbilisi.

For nearly two weeks, Israel's airspace has largely been closed as Israel and Iran traded air attacks, but Israeli carriers have, in recent days, begun rescue flights to return travellers to Israel.

Flight frequencies increased on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran but Israel has yet to fully open its airspace.

El Al's fleet comprises Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 737 aircraft.a