US Vice President JD Vance Arrives Late in Islamabad After Unusual Flight Route

Islamabad: The special aircraft carrying US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Islamabad approximately three and a half hours behind schedule, drawing attention due to both the delay and its unconventional flight path.

The American delegation was originally expected to land at 7:00 AM local time, but the aircraft reached its destination later than planned. According to aviation experts, the journey was expected to take around 15 hours with a single stopover.

The US Air Force C-32A aircraft departed from Camp Springs base in Maryland at 5:47 PM Pakistan time (8:47 AM US time). The aircraft completed the journey in approximately 14 hours and 20 minutes, including a stopover of about two and a half hours in Paris.

Instead of following a conventional Middle Eastern route, the aircraft avoided the airspace of several Middle Eastern countries. It traveled via Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, passing near Samarkand and entering Tajikistan.

The flight also bypassed much of Afghanistan’s airspace before entering Pakistan near Chitral around 10:00 AM. Upon entering Pakistan’s airspace, the aircraft was escorted and warmly received by the Pakistan Air Force, eventually landing at Nur Khan Airbase at 10:33 AM.

Officials have not provided a formal explanation for the delay or the altered route, though such changes are often attributed to security and geopolitical considerations.