Karachi airport under attack
 

Developing news according to some news channels, Karachi airport old terminal one is under attack by some terrorists. Channels are showing thick smoke from a distance. All flights are diverted to alternate airports.

More on this from BBC
BBC News - Gunmen attack Karachi's Jinnah International Airport

Reported 3 Airframes partially destroyed. 1 x PIA 1 x x ABQ and one foreign Cargo Operator.

Any news about the EK and Thai flights? Are they stuck there? Any info about the hijack rumours of one international airline plane?

This was so predictable!

http://rt.com/news/164604-pakistan-airport-attack-dead/

And especially so when we get 'Flight Crew Notices', such as this one (issued to us on 12th February 2014), demonstrating yet another instalment of incompetent nonsense from Pakistan's airport security regimen: You really couldn't make it up!! :ugh:

Latest reports (via Airliners.net and Twitter) are that an Emirates flight has been hijacked. Three airliners have been destroyed: a PIA aircraft, an Airblue aircraft and a third aircraft, belonging to an international airline.

Developing story; fighting still ongoing and difficult to get firm reports, but the situation does seem to be getting more serious by the minute.

Remember this is Pakistan. The security forces may be protecting people and aircraft or attacking them or both.

Religion undoubtedly strikes again! :ugh:

Doubt it has anything to to with "religion" but odds on favorite is likely Islamic extremist insurgency of Pakistani homegrown militants, in conflict for years in Pakistan.

probing attack
 

The Taliban have a much greater capability than is demonstrated by this attack, but it is sufficiently significant to require planning and approval from the highest level. The conclusions are that it makes a political statement, improves Taliban morale and provides valuable inteligence re defense of the airport and other major targets.
The final destination is sharia law with terrorist access to Pakistan's atomic weapons.

How things have changed.... When we overnighted at Karachi back in the early 90s, we had a departure time around 2am, which involved driving through the streets from the crew hotel just after midnight.

It was not uncommon for the two major players to be trading automatic fire on the streets at that hour of the night. However, in those days, they were only interested in shooting each other. So the company fix to keep all us pink-skinned infidels safe was to leave the interior lights in the crew bus on so that both sides could see were were infidels and not fighters of the other side, the theory (which seemed to work then) being that neither side would shoot at a bus they knew was carrying foreigners.

As I said... how things have changed. Today, I suspect each side would be vying to be the ones to take a few infidels as hostages.

Even back then, the same idea didn't apply while airborne - we were instructed to stay above 3500' AGL on approach until clear of the suburbs, as there were frequent reports of bored gunmen of either side taking potshots at passing aircraft.

I suppose we should all be grateful to Michel Kalashnikov for making his Model 47, with its 7.62mm short round, everyman's weapon of choice in that part of the world. If the buggers were still sporting Lee Enfields, we might have had to stay a damn sight higher and might have taken a few hits.

I can recall reading that more than a few RAF pilots died when hit in their aircraft while airborne back in the 1920s and 30s by tribesman firing single shot Lee Enfields at their aircraft. Anyone with an even passing knowledge of ground to air gunnery will tell you that that's seriously good shooting.

Back to the current events in Karachi, I find myself agreeing with John Hill. Those 'rescued' by Pakistani special forces could quite possibly be in more danger than those not under their 'protection'.

ABC Report
 

This report includes an embedded video report. At the time of the report, no aircraft destroyed, but apparently there is another flare-up occurring now.
Heavily armed militants launch deadly attack on Pakistan's Karachi airport - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Last 737 is SCAT(yes, you read that right) Airlines from Kazaksthan.

I stand corrected, Air Indus it is.

This has hardly got a mention in the news here in the UK.

Apart from the tragic loss of lives my spotter friends say 7 aircraft have been destroyed including a Cargolux 747.

Karachi airport under attack
 

When the Tamil Tigers attacked Colombo airport, three or four aircraft were literally riddled with bullet holes - of the calibre the police and army were using. Five will get you ten that the same will be found to apply at Karachi.

Statement from THAI regarding this attacked on their facebook.

Yea the last 737 in the photo is Air Indus.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility. The 5 Taliban released in exchange for the American soldier recently are now living in Qatar, along with around twenty of their cohorts BBC News - How Qatar came to host the Taliban . As the national airline of Qatar is government owned, we now have the owners of a major international airline openly supporting a group who blow up airports. Pretty bizarre.

I think one of the bbc reports said apparently there were no damage to any of the aircraft and that the airport would be back to operating normal
soon. I am not sure I would be as confident as those that said that, particularly with having had bullets flying around for the day.

Do a FOD walkdown, get the sweeper truck out, and back in business. :E