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The closure of Pakistan’s airspace to Indian flights has dealt a financial blow to Indian airlines, resulting in losses of over Rs 2 billion within just nine days.
According to media reports, the ban has impacted more than 1,000 Indian flights, forcing major carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Air India Express to reroute or cancel flights originally scheduled to pass over Pakistani territory.
The restriction came into effect after an extraordinary National Security Committee (NSC) meeting chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, following India’s unverified accusations against Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which claimed 26 lives.
The airspace closure, which will remain in place until May 23, affects not only Indian-flagged aircraft but also leased planes operated in India, extending the disruption across both domestic and international routes.
Flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad are among the worst hit, with detours over the Arabian Sea adding up to 10 hours of extra flight time.
The increase in fuel and crew costs has led to skyrocketing operational expenses.
Passengers have also expressed frustration as no refunds were issued for cancelled flights. Airlines instead opted to delay or reschedule services, compounding travel inconvenience.
Back in 2019, Indian airlines suffered a loss of Rs 7 billion during a similar airspace standoff with Pakistan.
