Emirates flight to Delhi delayed due to closure of Karachi airspace

An Emirates airlines aircraft with about 300 passengers and crew landed here on Wednesday evening after more than a three-hour delay following a diversion because of India-Pakistan tensions and closure of Karachi airspace for India-bound flights.

The Boeing 777 300 aircraft, which took off from Dubai at 10.30 a.m., half an hour behind schedule, landed at Ahmedabad airport at 2.45 p.m. for refuelling as the captain did not anticipate extra consumption of fuel on account of the diversion.

Before landing, the captain announced that the plane was being diverted to Ahmedabad as it had taken a longer route because of the closure of Karachi airspace.

Later it left for Delhi, about three hours behind schedule.

Tensions erupted between India and Pakistan following the Indian Air Force (IAF) jets bombing the biggest training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit in Balakot on Tuesday.

The IAF on Wednesday chased away intruding Pakistani fighter jets in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera sector.

Reports said that Pakistan has banned any Indian aircraft from using its airspace and that Pakistan's Air Traffic Control has banned any aircraft from flying below 32,000 feet.

--IANS

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