Overview
In the midst of geopolitical tensions between Pakistan and India in May 2025, sudden airspace closures left travellers stranded and international carriers scrambling. With little time to act, we were entrusted with a complex, high-stakes mission: coordinating and executing an emergency air evacuation from Pakistan for personnel from three clients.
This urgent operation exemplifies the strength of pre-established local partnerships, integrated global aviation logistics, and precise coordination under pressure.
Problem
The escalating situation led to widespread flight cancellations and heavily restricted airspace windows, making commercial departures nearly impossible. Clients needed a swift, secure solution to extract personnel from different parts of Pakistan and transport them safely out of the country.
The complexity increased with the involvement of three distinct organisations, each relying on our expertise to manage the risk and deliver a coordinated evacuation with no room for error.
Solution
Our team in Dubai consisting of operations, aviation and security specialists, activated a multi-layered emergency response across air, land, and local networks to deliver a seamless evacuation:
- Aviation Coordination Across Borders: Our regional Aviation Transportation team sourced and secured a Pakistan-registered charter aircraft already positioned in Islamabad to allow for rapid turnaround.
- Secure Ground Transportation: On 9 May 2025, just 2 days after the escalations heightened, 7 passengers were safely relocated from Lahore and northern Islamabad to secure, pre-assessed hotels in Islamabad, with the support of our in-country Security Partner.
- Multi-Client Consolidation: Seven passengers from three different clients were consolidated into one charter, optimizing resources while maintaining operational and privacy protocols.
- Precision Departure Execution: All passengers were moved to Islamabad Airport on 10 May using trusted Secure Ground Transportation.
- Seamless Onward Support: Upon arrival in Dubai, a dedicated reception team from our Dubai Assistance Centre ensured immediate onward transfer to onward destinations.
Impact
Through strategic coordination and deep regional knowledge, our clients were able to be safely evacuated under challenging and rapidly evolving conditions:
- Zero Incidents: Despite severe airspace constraints, the operation was executed within a 24-hour window with no delays or safety concerns.
- Multi-Client Evacuation Efficiency: Consolidating passengers from three separate organisations reduced cost and complexity while ensuring tailored support for each client’s requirements.
- Trusted Execution in Crisis Conditions: The operation demonstrated our ability to lead under uncertainty, reinforcing International SOS as a trusted partner for crisis response and Duty of Care.
- Integrated Global-Local Response Model: Robust cross-border crisis logistics, powered by on-the-ground security partners and global aviation teams working in unison to provide a timely and effective response.