ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s international aviation sector has witnessed a sharp decline in outbound traffic in early March, with flight departures dropping by nearly half amid rising regional tensions linked to the Iran conflict, a report said on Thursday.

According to data released by Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics, international departures fell from 1,127 flights between February 1 and 10 to just 572 flights during March 1-10, marking one of the steepest short-term declines in recent aviation activity.

Analysts attributed the significant drop to widespread airspace disruptions caused by escalating geopolitical instability in late February. Restrictions across Iranian and parts of Gulf airspace forced airlines to cancel flights, reroute operations and reduce frequencies, severely impacting Pakistan’s outbound connectivity.

Pakistan’s aviation network relies heavily on Middle Eastern transit corridors, making it particularly vulnerable to such disruptions. Experts noted that even short-term instability in the region can immediately affect flight operations and passenger volumes.

The data also highlighted a shift in travel trends. While February saw a broader distribution of outbound travel to Gulf hubs such as Dubai and Jeddah, March traffic became more concentrated towards Saudi destinations, including Jeddah and Riyadh. This indicates that essential and religious travel continued, while non-essential travel declined sharply.

Experts say the situation underscores the sensitivity of Pakistan’s aviation sector to external shocks, especially geopolitical crises affecting key transit routes.

The findings are based on a comparative analysis of international departure data for February 1-10 and March 1-10, 2026, compiled through the Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics Aviation Dashboard.