Pakistan Airspace Shutdown: Govt Steps In to Address Challenges Faced by Indian Airlines

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said that he is coordinating with the Indian airlines to find solutions to problems arising due to the Pakistan airspace closure. Speaking on the sidelines of the ‘Aviation Horizon 2025’ conference on April 28 in New Delhi, the aviation minister said the ministry will assess the issues in detail faced by both, the airlines, bearing higher operational costs due to alternate air routes and the passengers, facing flight delays and possible rise in airfare, PTI reported. 

“We are assessing the situation... and working with the airlines...We need to have a thorough understanding (of the situation) before taking any decision,” said the civil aviation minister, according to PTI. Anything that is likely to be impacted due to airspace closure, including airfares, will be looked into, the minister added.

Also Read: Pahalgam Attack: Air India, IndiGo Add More Flights from Srinagar; Centre Warns Against Ticket Price Hike

How Airlines Are Navigating Pak Airspace Ban 

Following the escalation of tension between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack last week, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines. This decision left the airlines to explore alternate routes that link India to Europe, North America, Central Asia and the Middle East. 

India’s largest airline by market share, IndiGo, said it will temporarily cancel flights to Almaty and Tashkent because of aircraft operational range constraints from April 27 until at least May 7. The airline also mentioned that around 50 international routes operated by it will require longer travel duration and are likely to be subject to some schedule adjustments. 

“With the same restrictions and limited rerouting options, unfortunately, Almaty and Tashkent are outside the operational range of IndiGo’s current fleet,” said IndiGo in a statement. 

According to data from an aviation analytics company, Cirium, around 400 weekly international flights from India will be impacted, mainly those heading to western countries and departing from North Indian airports, including Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur and Lucknow. Out of all the North India airports, New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is likely to be the most impacted, as per the data. Tata Group’s airline, Air India, has around 134 weekly departures to Europe and North America from Delhi.