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PIA flight from Fujairah to Lahore diverted to Karachi
The Pakistani carrier has temporarily suspended scheduled flights to the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait due to the ongoing military conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran
- PUBLISHED: Wed 18 Mar 2026, 7:12 AM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Fujairah to Lahore was diverted to the coastal city of Karachi due to a cabin pressurisation problem.
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“PIA flight 178 (Fujairah-Lahore) is safe and sound and has landed at Karachi. During the flight, it developed a cabin pressurisation-related snag, and as per procedure, it reduced its altitude to 10,000 feet,” the airline said in a post on social media platform X.
The South Asian country’s national carrier was operating special flights from Fujairah due to airspace closure and flight restrictions amid the ongoing regional military conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran.
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The UAE and other Gulf countries have allowed limited flight operations for their local and foreign carriers, prioritising the safety and security of passengers.
Since the regional war broke out on February 28, PIA has cancelled hundreds of flights to the UAE and other Gulf countries. It has temporarily suspended scheduled flights to the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait due to concerns for the safety of passengers and crew. It advised passengers to check their flight status before proceeding to the airports.
In 2025, PIA resumed flights to European destinations after a five-year ban due to safety reasons.
According to global aviation analytics firm Cirium, PIA cancelled six flights on Tuesday due to the regional military conflict. It has cancelled 134 flights since the war broke out on February 28.
PIA said its team of engineers is working diligently to fix the fault on the Fujairah-Lahore flight. It added that the "flight will be dispatched to its original destination, i.e., Lahore, shortly."
However, the carrier didn’t disclose how many passengers were on board the Fujairah-Lahore flight.
Calling for an upgrade of PIA’s fleet and improved customer service, several relatives of passengers on the Fujairah–Lahore flight said they were waiting at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport for their loved ones.
“What about passengers, families suffering and waiting. I am waiting for my younger brother with my family, including a 1-year-old baby, at Lahore airport. Many others are suffering,” X user Waqasali said in response to the airline’s announcement of flight diversion.
