Operation Sindoor: Indian Airlines Cancel 430 Flights Today; Check List of Affected Airports

A day after India's Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps inside Pakistan, commercial air travel in the northwestern states remains suspended, with airlines announcing hundreds of flight cancellations and several airports shutting down operations for the next few days.

According to an analysis by The Times of India, Indian carriers cancelled a total of 430 flights on Thursday, accounting for 3% of the country’s total scheduled flights.

The western corridor of India, stretching from Kashmir to Gujarat, saw a complete halt in civilian air traffic as airlines avoided the sensitive region, according to Flightradar24. Most international carriers have also stopped flying through Pakistani airspace, rerouting flights over Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

A total of 27 airports across northern, western, and central India have been closed for commercial flights. These include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior, and Hindon, according to reports. Military-only airfields have also been shut.

On Wednesday, about 250 flights were cancelled. Air India said two of its international flights en route to Amritsar were diverted to Delhi.

In its advisory, Tata Sons-owned Air India cancelled all flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot until 12 noon on May 7, pending further updates from regulatory authorities. Air India Express, the airline’s low-cost arm, also confirmed that multiple flights across its network were affected.

Air India and Air India Express are offering free rescheduling or full refunds on cancellations for armed forces personnel with existing bookings.

"Continuing our efforts to support our customers and accommodate changes to their travel plans, we are extending a full waiver on change and cancellation fees for travel to/from Srinagar until 22 May 2025, for bookings made on or before 22 April 2025," IndiGo posted on X on Thursday.

Meanwhile, SpiceJet has suspended flights to and from Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar until further notice, warning of disruptions to connecting routes. Akasa Air also issued a travel advisory, urging passengers to check updates, as its services to cities like Srinagar and Chandigarh have been affected.

17% of Daily Flights Cancelled in Pakistan

Meanwhile, Pakistan-based carriers cancelled 147 flights—17% of their total scheduled flights—according to TOI.

The Pakistani government has closed its airspace for all commercial flights at Lahore and Islamabad airports.

“The country’s airspace is closed for all commercial flights at Lahore and Islamabad airports,” the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said in a statement late Wednesday, as reported by PTI. Karachi airport remains operational.

The PAA has formally informed the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) about the “serious risks” to civil aviation safety allegedly caused by India’s “reckless and provocative actions.”

This follows India's targeted missile and drone strikes on Wednesday morning, which reportedly destroyed nine terrorist infrastructures belonging to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a 25-minute operation.