PIA has canceled flight PK-135 from Karachi to Damascus, which was set to depart on Friday morning, according to a representative for the national flag airline.
Similarly, he claimed, a flight PK-136 was scheduled to transport 169 passengers from Damascus, but the planes were canceled owing to the runways’ inactivity.
In a press statement, spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khand said, “Both runways are inactive due to bombing at the Damascus airport that led to complete suspension of (flight) operations there,”
The official expressed apologies for the passengers’ discomfort, noting that the flight’s cancellation was inevitable owing to operational concerns.
The flights will be rescheduled as soon as the runways were repaired, he added; otherwise, the passengers would be transferred by other means.
As a result, he claimed, all passengers were notified via PIA’s phone center.
As a consequence of technical difficulties, Syria’s transport ministry ordered the “halt of incoming and departing planes via Damascus airport” on Friday.
“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 stated.
As a result, all passengers are being notified about the situation through the PIA phone centre, according to Khand.
Since the civil conflict in Syria erupted in 2011, Israel has launched hundreds of air attacks against its neighbors, hitting government forces as well as allied Iran-backed forces and Hezbollah militants.
To read our blog on “Instead of serving meat, PIA served Daal Chawal to passengers,” click here.
