KARACHI, Oct 17: Several incoming and outgoing flights of different airlines, scheduled for Thursday, have either been cancelled or delayed because of the expected arrival of Benazir Bhutto in Karachi.
Aviation sources told Dawn that different airlines rescheduled at least 12 flights as the “load was far behind the normal”.
They said most of the passengers booked for Thursday flights had got their reservations cancelled.
The sources said 98 incoming and outgoing flights were scheduled to operate on Thursday. They included 33 incoming and 29 departing flights of the Pakistan International Airlines.
They said the national carrier and private sector airlines had cancelled their flights scheduled between morning and afternoon on Thursday.
Besides, they said, as many as 18 incoming flights and an equal number of outgoing flights of the foreign carriers were also scheduled for the day. The foreign airlines that have scheduled flights for Thursday include Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Malaysian Airlines, Gulf Air, Thai Air, Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia and China Air.
The sources said the foreign carriers had not intimated the Civil Aviation Authority about any change or adjustment in the schedule of their flights.
The sources said at least 40 per cent of passengers booked for Thursday on domestic sectors got their reservations cancelled. They said that due to the massive cancellation of seats, the respective airlines rescheduled their flights.
The sources said the national flag carrier and private sector airlines would cancel more flights if the passengers failed to reach the airport – a possibility that can not be ruled out at all.
The authorities have advised the passengers to avoid Sharea Faisal for reaching the airport. They have been advised to reach the airport either from Malir, Korangi or Malir Cantt.
A senior traffic police official said the roads leading to Jinnah Terminal from Model Colony, Malir Halt and Chhota Gate would remain accessible for air passengers.
A spokesman for Shaheen Air International told Dawn that the airline cancelled its flight NL-123, which was scheduled to leave Karachi for Islamabad at 7.30am. He said a Karachi-bound flight (NL-124) from Islamabad was also cancelled.
Sources in Airblue said the airline had to make some adjustments in view of the inconvenience that might be caused due to the arrival of the former prime minister in Karachi. They said at least three flights were cancelled as the booking was miserably low.
The PIA also announced the cancellation of its several domestic flights scheduled for Thursday from Quaid-i-Azam International Airport to prevent passengers’ inconvenience on the occasion of the return of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Three main domestic flights (PK-303, PK 304 and PK-308) from Karachi to Lahore and Karachi to Islamabad and vice versa have been cancelled.
