Outlook Business Desk
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 a Times of India report, Indian carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, 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.
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 is offering full refunds and free rescheduling to defence personnel traveling until May 31, acknowledging their active role in this period.
IndiGo has extended a full waiver on change and cancellation fees for flights to and from Srinagar, accommodating affected passengers
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.