ISLAMABAD, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Bad weather conditions caused by smog have disrupted 604 flights of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the first two weeks of November, an airlines' spokesperson said.
The smoggy weather conditions, which were prevailing in the country's east Punjab province during the month of November, were beyond the airline's control, so they had to either delay or cancel the flights, Express News quoted the spokesperson as saying Wednesday.
The affected areas included Multan, Faisalabad, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Sialkot and Rahim Yar Khan, he said.
The spokesperson added that they rescheduled 83 flights, re-routed 82, diverted 17 and cancelled 159 flights due to poor visibility, adding that another 200 flights were delayed to ensure the security requirements in the bad weather.
The spokesman said that each plane is used for multiple flight operations, so their delay due to weather conditions, also affected 63 other flights in the areas where weather was suitable for takeoff, as the plane was not available.
The plains of Punjab, remained engulfed by a thick smog blanket in the first two weeks of November, but scattered rains, which started in the country on Tuesday, washed away the smog from most of the areas.
Officials from local met office told Xinhua earlier this week that the province will get a respite from smog following the downpour, but fog will continue in the area.
