30 planes prevented from entering Iranian war zone: Pakistan Airport Authority

LAHORE: The Airport Traffic Controllers of Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) have reportedly prevented around 30 passenger aircraft from entering the Iranian war zone. “Owing to severe weather conditions, several aircraft were on the verge of drifting into Iranian war-zone airspace on Wednesday and Thursday. Timely guidance from the air traffic controllers, particularly coordination with the Karachi Flight Information Region, helped avert a major disaster,” an official source in the Airport Traffic Controllers here said. “Most of the aircraft came under the pressure of extreme weather near the Iran border, creating a highly risky situation. However, the professionalism demonstrated by the Lahore air traffic controllers ensured that the planes were safely diverted away from the danger zone, although no response was received from Tehran Air Traffic Control despite repeated attempts,” he said. These flights were arriving and going to Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and other countries. “The Lahore air traffic control, in coordination with the Karachi FIR, managed to assist aircraft in navigating out of severe weather conditions. The affected route stretching from the Lahore sector westward via Kalat to Panjgur and Gwadar experienced extremely poor weather. Aircraft began losing stable control and were drifting toward Iranian airspace, which is currently closed due to the war situation,” he said and added the air traffic controllers handled the situation with exceptional skill, preventing the aircraft from entering the restricted zone. “Because of adverse weather, eastward routes were also inaccessible, and pilots informed the control tower that continuing on those paths was unsafe. Many aircraft were forced toward the Panjgur area, where they encountered severe turbulence and weather disturbances. However, the Karachi Flight Information Region played a crucial role in guiding them safely back onto their designated routes,” the official said. A spokesperson for the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) told Dawn that situations of this nature were part of routine air traffic management. “Air Traffic Controllers are trained in accordance with international standards to ensure the safe and efficient handling of flights, particularly during adverse weather or other unusual conditions,” he said. Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2026