Reporting snapshot · 18 March 2026. The figures are airport-by-airport tallies supplied by aviation officials; airlines warned that further schedule changes were possible while regional tensions persisted.
What happened
Escalating tensions in the Middle East disrupted Pakistan’s air travel on Wednesday, with at least 92 inbound and outbound flights cancelled across major airports and hundreds of passengers stranded or rescheduled.
Islamabad International Airport was the worst affected, with 28 flights cancelled on routes to Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Muscat. At Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, about 20 flights to Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran and other regional hubs were called off, while Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport saw 18 cancellations to destinations including Kuwait, Doha and Bahrain.
Peshawar’s Bacha Khan International Airport scrapped 16 flights to Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Multan recorded four cancellations and Sialkot six, to Dubai, Doha, Riyadh and Bahrain. Operations at Faisalabad remained unaffected, an aviation official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Pakistan International Airlines announced operational changes to its Gulf routes, suspending flights to Fujairah for 48 hours because of security concerns. Limited operations to the United Arab Emirates were to continue, with flights to Al Ain operating as scheduled, the airline said.
Why it matters
The cancellations show how quickly instability in the Middle East transmits to Pakistan’s economy and to ordinary travellers. The Gulf is Pakistan’s busiest international aviation corridor, carrying labour migrants, business travellers and families, and it is the main route for workers sending home the remittances that underpin the current account.
A sustained disruption raises the cost of travel, clogs rebooking queues and can affect airline revenues at the start of the peak Eid travel period. It also demonstrates the aviation sector’s dependence on airspace and airports far beyond Pakistan’s borders: carriers can be forced to cancel a route even when nothing is wrong at the Pakistani end.
What is still uncertain
Aviation officials said the situation was under constant review and that further adjustments were likely if the regional tensions continued. The tallies do not indicate how many flights were delayed or rerouted rather than cancelled, how long the disruption might last, or whether cargo operations were affected alongside passenger services. Passengers were advised to check schedules and stay in contact with their airlines.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a synthesis of published material, not eyewitness reporting. Sources were reviewed on 19 March 2026.
- The Express Tribune — "92 flights cancelled as Middle East tensions disrupt Pakistan air travel"Published 18 March 2026 · What this source supports: the airport-by-airport cancellation figures, the unnamed aviation official's account, PIA's Fujairah suspension and the operational-review warning.
- Daily Times — "Middle East tensions cancel 92 Pakistan flights"Published 19 March 2026 · What this source supports: the overall 92-flight figure, the list of affected airports, and PIA's continued limited UAE operations including Al Ain.
