synopsis

India has closed its airspace to all Pakistani aircraft, including military and civilian, from April 30 to May 23, following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, prompting India to take a decisive aviation-related step. On Wednesday, India issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) formally closing its airspace to all Pakistan-registered, operated, owned, or leased aircraft, including both civilian and military planes.

The NOTAM is effective from April 30 to May 23, 2025, during which no Pakistani aircraft will be permitted to enter Indian airspace.

 

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India's decision to shut its airspace for Pakistani aircraft is a retaliatory response to Islamabad's earlier move to ban Indian carriers from using its airspace, effectively mirroring the restriction.

India's latest strategic move is expected to force Pakistani airlines to reroute their flights over countries like China or Sri Lanka to reach Southeast Asian destinations.

According to reports, the Indian government is also considering imposing a ban on Pakistani ships from docking at Indian ports, further escalating economic and logistical pressure on Islamabad.

Pakistan Bar Indian Airlines from Using its Airspace

Pakistan's move to bar Indian airlines from using its airspace severely impacts international flight routes operated from north Indian cities to the West.

The airspace ban is projected to cost Indian airlines an additional Rs 77 crore per week, translating to over Rs 306 crore per month, according to rough estimates based on the current volume of international flights and extended flight times.

Longer Flight Times, Higher Fuel Consumption

The airspace closure is forcing airlines to reroute, resulting in additional flight durations and subsequent cost escalations:

  • Flights to North America are seeing delays of up to 1.5 hours, costing around Rs 29 lakh per flight.
  • European routes face similar delays with additional expenses estimated at Rs 22.5 lakh per flight.
  • Middle East flights are being delayed by around 45 minutes, with added costs of Rs 5 lakh per flight.

Aviation industry officials also point out that longer flight paths pose challenges related to crew duty limits, payload restrictions, and aircraft turnaround times.

Over 6,000 Flights Affected in April Alone 

Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows that over 6,000 one-way international flights were scheduled by Indian carriers in April. Of these, about 3,100 two-way flights were operated from north Indian cities using both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft.

  • Nearly 1,900 flights to the Middle East alone could cost Rs 90 crore in extra operational expenses.
  • Around 1,200 flights to Europe and North America may account for an estimated Rs 216 crore in added costs.

IndiGo Cancels Flights to Almaty, Tashkent 

Budget airline IndiGo has already cancelled flights to Almaty and Tashkent due to range limitations under the revised routes.

  • Flights to Almaty stand cancelled from April 27 to May 7.
  • Flights to Tashkent are suspended from April 28 to May 7.

Other Airlines Yet to Announce Schedule Changes 

Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air have not officially announced flight cancellations yet. While Air India and IndiGo operate long-haul wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777 and 787, others like SpiceJet and Akasa Air, which primarily use narrow-body aircraft, could soon face operational constraints.