Lahore Airport Shrouded in Fog: Flights Delayed, Cancelled

Due to rising Smog conditions, flight operations at Lahore Allama Iqbal International Airport has been disrupted significantly! The smog situation is keep getting worse in Punjab during this month and it has affected various sectors, including children’s education, workplaces, motorway travel, and now air travel too. The flight operations at Lahore Airport have been significantly impacted by the dense smog covering Punjab, particularly in Lahore. The smog combined with thick fog, has disrupted both domestic and international flights at Lahore Airport, leading to numerous delays and cancellations. Passengers have faced severe inconvenience as airlines struggled to maintain schedules during the challenging weather conditions.

Lahore Airport Flight Cancellations and Delays

As per the information from aviation authorities, over 20 flights, both domestic and international, have either been canceled or delayed due to the low visibility caused by smog and fog. These specific flight disruptions include:

Cancellations:

Around 11 flights have been canceled, with some notable flights being PIA flights PK 340 and PK 341 (Karachi to Faisalabad) and PK 322 and PK 323 (Quetta to Lahore). Foreign airline flights, including Jeddah to Lahore SV 739 and Sialkot-bound PIA flights PK 281 and PK 282 from Muscat, have also been canceled.

Long Delays:

Over 53 flights faced delays. Many outbound international flights, including the Doha-bound PK-279, Kuwait-bound PK-239, and Dubai-bound EK-623, experienced delays ranging from six to ten Riyadh-bound XY-318 was delayed by seven hours, while two Jeddah-bound flights, PF-716 and SV-735, were delayed by over three and five hours, respectively. Several flights between Karachi and Lahore and between Karachi and Islamabad have also been delayed.

Inbound Flight Diversions and Delays

Inbound flights too faced similar disturbances, with several flights being forced to land at alternative airports due to poor visibility (decreased to 50 meters on runway). These diverted flights include:

Landing at Alternative Airports:

Some flights, including PK 244 from Dammam to Sialkot and Jeddah-Lahore flight SV 738, were diverted to Islamabad. The Qatar Airways flight QR 616, initially scheduled to land in Multan, was also diverted to Islamabad due to fog.

Significant Delays for Inbound Flights:

Passengers on inbound flights also faced long wait times, with the Dubai-Lahore EK-624, Abu Dhabi-Lahore PA-431, and Doha-Lahore PK-280 all delayed by several hours. Other notable delays include Jeddah-Lahore SV-734, delayed for five hours, and PA-471, which was delayed for over eight hours.

Impact on Passengers and Operational Challenges

These ongoing disruptions at Lahore airport have resulted in extensive inconvenience for passengers, many of whom have experienced delays of up to ten hours. Additionally, the number of flights facing delays at Lahore airport was postponed on routes such as Lahore to Kuala Lumpur (OD 132) and Lahore to Bangkok (TG 346), which were unable to take off on time from the Allama Iqbal International Airport. Further, delays of over six hours have impacted flights bound for Dubai and Abu Dhabi from Lahore.

Intensifying Smog Crisis in Lahore

The smoggy conditions in Lahore are expected to remain for several more days. The smog in Lahore has worsened due to the addition of dense fog, making air travel highly challenging. These conditions have disrupted flight schedules and caused significant inconvenience for travelers.

Authorities are actively working to address the smog crisis. Measures such as closing schools, reducing office attendance to 50%, and encouraging remote work have already been implemented. However, the worsening flight interferences have added to the challenges.

The ongoing smog situation highlights the rigorousness of air pollution in Lahore, which has recently been ranked as one of the world’s most polluted cities. Passengers and airlines remain hopeful that the weather will improve soon, allowing for a return to regular flight operations at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport.