PIA suspends Damascus flights after Israel bombs airport

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Saturday suspended flight operations to Damascus after Israeli forces carried out bombardment at the Syrian capital airport, local media reported.

According to the national flag carrier spokesperson, PIA cancelled flight PK-135 from Karachi to Damascus that was scheduled to take off on Friday morning. Similarly, he said, flight PK-136 was due to bring 169 passengers from Damascus. However, the flights were cancelled due to the runways being completely inactive.

“Both runways are inactive due to bombing at the Damascus airport that led to complete suspension of (flight) operations there,” Spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khand said in a press statement.

The spokesman regretted the inconvenience faced by the passengers, explaining that the flight’s cancellation was unavoidable due to the operational issues confronted. He said the flights would be rescheduled as soon as the runways were restored; otherwise, the passengers would be transported through alternative means. Accordingly, he said, all passengers were being informed through PIA’s call centre.

Syria’s transport ministry Friday announced the “suspension of incoming and outgoing flights through Damascus airport” as a result of technical disruptions. “The resumption of flights shall be declared once the installations and equipment are fixed to ensure the safety and security of the operational traffic,” it said.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, meanwhile, directed the authorities to ensure immediate repatriation of Pakistanis stranded in Syria after Israeli forces resorted to bombardment at Damascus airport.

Nearly 160 Pakistanis are trapped in Syria due to suspension of flight operations.

In a statement, the foreign minister directed the Pakistan Embassy in Syria to ensure immediate repatriation of stranded Pakistanis. On the other hand, Pakistani Embassy confirmed that it has contacted all Pakistanis stranded in Syria. “Arrangements for repatriation of all Pakistanis will be completed soon,” the statement added.