The Pakistan International Airlines said in a post on X on Tuesday night that its flight PK178, which was travelling from Fujerah in the United Arab Emirates to Lahore, had landed in Karachi due to a “snag”.

“PIA flight 178 (Fujerah-Lahore) is safe and sound and has landed at Karachi. During the flight, it developed a cabin pressure-related snag, and as per procedure, it reduced altitude to 10,000 feet,” the post said.

PIA said “our team of engineers are working diligently to remove the fault, and the flight will be dispatched to its original destination, i.e., Lahore, shortly”.

The ongoing war in the Middle East, which began with the US and Israel launching attacks on Iran on February 28, has sent the global aviation industry into a tailspin, forcing the widespread cancellation of flights after the closure of key Middle Eastern hubs and triggering a surge in airfares as jet fuel prices skyrocket.

Tens of thousands of passengers have been stranded after hubs in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi were shut down, while the price of jet fuel has doubled in recent days to between $150 and $200 per barrel, upending airline finances.

Meanwhile, several airlines have either cancelled flights or are operating a reduced flight schedule.