PAA confirms Pakistan airspace fully open, denies closure reports

Pakistan Airports Authority – (Web Desk) – The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Tuesday firmly rejected claims that commercial flight operations had been limited, making it clear that Pakistan’s airspace is fully open and safe for all civil aviation activity.

The clarification came after several media outlets reported that Pakistan had partially closed its airspace due to security concerns linked to the ongoing US-Iran tensions, which have disrupted flight routes in parts of the region. However, the authority emphasized that these reports were inaccurate.

In an official statement, the PAA said Pakistan’s airspace remains completely accessible for all types of civil aviation traffic, including commercial arrivals, departures, and overflights. Air traffic services are operating smoothly, and alternative flight routes are available and routinely used when required.

The authority further assured that no restrictions have been placed on commercial flight operations. Air traffic controllers and airport staff across the country are fully active and continuing to manage operations as usual.

Addressing confusion over a recent Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), the PAA described media interpretations as “incorrect and misleading,” explaining that the advisory was part of standard operational procedures and did not signal any closure or limitation of airspace.

It added that the specified routes were closed “from ground level (GND) to unlimited altitude (UNL) due to standard operational reasons”.

The PAA urged media organisations and social media users to rely on official statements and avoid speculative or inaccurate headlines that could cause unnecessary concern among passengers and the wider public.

Global air travel remained in severe disarray since Sunday as sustained air strikes forced the closure of major Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai — the world’s busiest international transit hub — in one of the most significant aviation disruptions in recent years.

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Transit gateways such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Doha in Qatar, were either shut down or operating under heavy restrictions, with large sections of regional airspace closed.

The disruption followed US and Israeli strikes that reportedly killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, plunging the Gulf into heightened