Air India flights to take Pakistan route

Air India has sought and received permission from Pakistan to fly though its territory to reach Gulf countries like Sharjah, Dubai and Bahrain as a measure to combat the crises caused by the Gonu cyclone in Oman.

Air India overflies Oman to reach most of the key destinations in the Gulf and avoids flying through Pakistan.

Most of the aircraft flying to the Gulf have to pass over Muscat. But now since the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system there has totally broken down, flights will have to be re-routed through Pakistan and Iran.

"We have got permission from the Pakistan and Iran authorities to let our planes fly over these areas," said an Air India official. With this move, Air India hopes to run all its scheduled flights in the Gulf except Oman.

However, Air India Express, the national low cost carrier and a subsidiary of Air India, has cancelled all its flights to Muscat till tomorrow. The carrier operates 10 direct flights to Muscat in a week.

"We are trying to accommodate the stranded passengers in hotels. The passengers who have booked a connecting flight via Muscat to other places in the Gulf are sought to be accommodated in direct Air India and Air India Express flights to those places," said an Air India Express official

Even Oman Air, which has around 10 daily flights to Muscat, has cancelled all its flights till June 9.

Emirates has also cancelled all its flights to Muscat. However, it has no direct flight to Muscat from India and all its connecting flights to the rest of the Gulf go via Dubai.

"Passengers flying via Dubai to Muscat will be accommodated in Dubai till the Muscat airport becomes operational," said an airline official.