Delhi Airport Operations Normal Amid India-Pakistan Tensions; Airlines Urge Early Arrival

Operations at the Delhi Airport remain normal, though some flight schedules might be impacted due to the evolving airspace conditions and heightened security measures, Delhi International Airport Ltd. said in a post on social media platform X. The airport authority advised the passengers to follow all hand and check in baggage regulations and cooperate with security and airline staff for smooth facilitation.

“We strongly urge everyone to rely only on official sources for information and avoid relying on circulating unverified content,” the post said.

On Wednesday, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) instructed all airlines and Indian airports to beef up their security measures and mandated Secondary Ladder Point Check, or pre-boarding checks, for all passengers at all airports. These advisories came in the wake of heightening tensions between India and Pakistan.

The bureau also banned the entry of visitors into terminal buildings and raised the checks for anything or anyone entering an aircraft to the highest level amid escalating tensions with Pakistan. The move to 100% secondary ladder point checks will significantly increase the passenger processing times.

In the view this order Air India advised passengers to arrive at least three hours prior to the scheduled departure for smooth check-in and boarding. It further said that check-in will close 75 minutes before departure. Similarly, another airline company SpiceJet has also advised the passengers to reach three hours prior to departure.

On the other hand, Indigo said, “In these extraordinary times, heightened security measures are taken up across all airports. We request you to allow some extra time for your journey to accommodate security checks and formalities.” Bookings made on or before May 8 are eligible for change or free cancellation for travel until May 22 to and from Srinagar, Jammu , Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Kishangarh and Rajkot,  Indigo said in a post on social media handle platform X.