Middle East tensions: Etihad Airways resumes flights to Pakistan

2026-03-06 - 09:43

Etihad Airways has announced the resumption of flights to Pakistan starting 6 March to lift passengers amid Middle East tensions following Iran-Israel conflict. The airline announced to restore operations at Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad airports. In addition to Pakistan, the carrier will also resume flights to over 50 stations worldwide, including destinations in Europe, the United Kingdom, and Central Asia. Etihad Airways has finalised its flight schedule for the period from 6 to 19 March, ensuring passengers can travel safely and efficiently despite ongoing regional tensions in the Middle East. Emirates and Etihad Airways resumed limited flights to major global cities from their hubs on Friday as airlines scramble to move stranded travelers. Much of Middle East airspace remains closed to most commercial aviation because of missile and drone risks, with authorities relying on charter flights and limited commercial services to evacuate tens of thousands of people. Traffic at Dubai airport, normally the world’s busiest international hub, nearly doubled on Thursday from the previous day but remained only about 25% of normal levels, flight-tracking site Flightradar24 said. Dubai-based Emirates said it was operating a reduced schedule to 82 destinations including London, Sydney, Singapore and New York. Qatar’s Doha hub remains shut, though a limited number of relief flights have been arranged from Oman and Saudi Arabia.