UAE flights to Lahore resume operations

UAE flights to Lahore have resumed following "positive developments" in Pakistan, the General Civil Aviation Authority has said.
Pakistan's airspace was closed on February 27 and parts of it were reopened on March 1, specifically Karachi, Peshawar and Islamabad.
Now, flights to Lahore and Quetta have resumed, including operations from the UAE.
A statement released by the General Civil Aviation Authority said: "Due to the positive developments in Pakistan, the Civil Aviation Authority announces the resumption of flights from the UAE to Quetta and Lahore airports."
Emirates airline also issued a statement, which said: "Due to the closure of Pakistani airspace, Emirates flights to and from Sialkot, Pakistan, on March 3 and 4 have been cancelled.
"Flights to and from Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar are no longer affected by the closure and have resumed. The latest flight schedules can be found on emirates.com. Affected passengers are requested to contact their booking agent or Emirates reservations to rebook their flights or make alternative travel arrangements."
Pakistan International Airlines announced on Twitter that it has restarted its routine flights to Lahore. A Pakistani expat, Saman Kazim, had bought a ticket to Sialkot for February 28, however, she was unable to travel because of the closure.
"flyDubai has amended my ticket and my new departure date is March 6. I was supposed to reach there on the 28th, but I couldn't travel. It's been a huge inconvenience for me because I had several events to attend. I've already missed a family wedding," she told Khaleej Times. "I had to change my work schedule, so I've been coming to work every day. I'm going to Pakistan for two months and I had rented my place out, but that has been affected as well."
A Pakistani tourist in Dubai, on the other hand, lamented how her holiday turned into a "nightmare" as she couldn't return to her home country after a two-week visit here.
Saadia Hashmi had booked a flight to Karachi for February 27, however, Emirates rebooked her ticket for March 6.
"I live in Karachi and I was here on a visit. I was supposed to join my office on March 1, but couldn't make it back on time," she told Khaleej Times.
"The biggest challenge I faced was our tight budget. We had enough money only for the two weeks we had planned to stay here. We've had to borrow money from our families back home to extend our stay until March 6 and be able to pay for hoteland food."
Hashmi was shocked when she reached the airport on the 27th and was told that the airspace had been shut down.
She and her friends managed to arrange funds for another night's stay in Dubai and then relocated to Abu Dhabi as staying there was "more affordable" for them.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com