https://arab.news/mfmmf
- Several flights were canceled last week, with Pakistan International Airlines warning of more delays
- Intense fog can reduce visibility to as little as 100 meters, impacting road travel and flight operations
KARACHI: Heavy fog in Pakistan’s Punjab province has disrupted flight operation from three major airports, with flights from Lahore, Sialkot and Multan facing cancelations, changes and delays, a spokesperson of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Wednesday.
During the winter season, dense fog blankets the plains of the country, particularly affecting regions in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. This diminishes visibility to as low as 100 meters, leading to flight delays and diversions.
Over the past week, a total of 32 flights destined for Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore and other Punjab airports had to be redirected to Islamabad International Airport due to the prevailing fog conditions.
“Severe fog ongoing in the country has affected PIA flights from Lahore, Multan and Sialkot airport,” the airline’s spokesperson, Abdullah Khan, said in a statement, adding the PIA apologized for any inconvenience caused due to these operational challenges.
“Low visibility and intensity of fog pose difficulties in flight operations,” he added. “Flights from Lahore, Multan, and Sialkot may be canceled, changed or delayed due to fog.”
Khan noted that flight operations were usually affected in these cities in winter.
“All passengers are urged to obtain information about their flights from the PIA call center before heading to the airport,” he added.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast that dense foggy conditions are expected to continue until next week in most parts of the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.
“We won’t see any relief in fog especially in the plains of the country for the next week or so,” Dr. Zaheer Babar, a Met Office official, told Arab News earlier this week.
He said light rain was expected on December 28 and 29 in the mountainous areas of the country while dry weather was expected to prevail in the plains.
“The foggy conditions may continue to affect transportation,” Babar said. “Therefore, travelers should plan their journeys beforehand to avoid any congestions and delays.”