The letter states that the country experienced an increase in air traffic due to the US-Iran war, as diverted flights used its key aviation corridor.
An Emirates plane at Dubai International Airport, amid the conflict between the United States and Israel with Iran, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 8, 2026. Photograph taken by phone PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Associations (IFATCA) on Monday expressed great appreciation for the professionalism and dedication of Pakistan’s air traffic controllers, recognizing their crucial role in maintaining safe and efficient operations during the recent regional airspace disruptions.
In a letter to Pakistan’s air traffic control authorities, IFATCA Executive Vice President for the Asia Pacific region Cheryl Chen praised the “dedication and professionalism demonstrated by Pakistan’s air traffic controllers in recent weeks.”
The letter comes a day after the United States and Iran failed to reach an agreement to end hostilities despite marathon negotiations that lasted around 21 hours. The talks, aimed at stopping a conflict that has killed thousands of people and driven up global oil prices over the past six weeks, ended with both sides blaming each other for the stalemate.
The letter highlighted that amid geopolitical developments affecting regional airspace, Pakistan’s position as a key aviation corridor between Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe led to a significant increase in air traffic, including flights diverted from neighboring airspace.
Despite these pressures, the organization noted that Pakistani air traffic controllers successfully managed “substantial volumes of non-scheduled traffic,” significantly increasing traffic levels in certain sectors, while maintaining “the highest standards of safety and efficiency.”
IFATCA further acknowledged that these operations were carried out under sustained pressure, potentially involving extended work hours and limited leave, and described this as reflecting “a strong commitment to the operational continuity and safety of global aviation.”
In his message, Chen also formally thanked the support provided by the Ministry of Pakistan, stating that IFATCA “respectfully recognizes the vital contribution of Pakistan’s air traffic control workforce” and expressed gratitude for the continued institutional support that enabled its performance.
The letter concluded with assurances of “highest consideration”, underlining international recognition of Pakistan’s air traffic management efforts during a period of heightened regional aviation challenges.
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The United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28, killing thousands of people in Iran, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and leaving tens of thousands injured, including civilian areas, including residential buildings and religious sites.
The conflict also expanded geographically. Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks against Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. It also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Global air travel has been severely disrupted as airstrikes kept major airports in the Middle East closed, including Dubai, the world’s busiest international hub, in one of the most acute aviation crises in recent years.
Key transit airports, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Doha in Qatar, were closed or severely restricted as much of the region’s airspace remained closed after US and Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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Dubai International Airport was damaged during the Iranian attacks, while Abu Dhabi and Kuwait airports were also damaged.
Thousands of flights have been affected across the Middle East, according to data from flight tracking platform FlightAware. The airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar remained virtually empty, Flightradar24 maps showed in March.
Airport closures have spread far beyond the Middle East. Dubai and neighboring Doha sit at the crossroads of east-west air travel, channeling long-haul traffic between Europe and Asia through tightly scheduled networks of connecting flights. With those hubs down, planes and crews remained stranded out of position, disrupting airline schedules around the world.
Airlines in Europe, Asia and the Middle East canceled or rerouted flights to avoid closed or restricted airspace, prolonging trips and increasing fuel costs. The disruption has been intensified by the loss of Iranian and Iraqi flyover routes, which had become more important since the war between Russia and Ukraine forced airlines to avoid both countries’ airspace.
