Pakistan Blocks Airspace: Flying From India To Us, Europe Likely To Cost More, Take Longer

"Flight paths and durations to Europe and nan United States will summation from India owed to nan closure of Pakistani airspace. We're presently exploring replacement routes. Major hubs for illustration Delhi and Mumbai will spot important disruptions successful outgoing flights to Europe and North America. Additionally, immoderate flights to nan Middle East will besides beryllium impacted. Airfares are apt to emergence owed to accrued operating costs," hose officials told BT.

IndiGo and Air India person already alerted passengers to imaginable disruptions, stating via posts connected X that immoderate world flights will look changes owed to taking "an replacement extended route."

Akasa Air, intimately monitoring nan situation, said it has proactively decided to reroute flights that usually transit Pakistani airspace. "We expect nary important effect to our operations and will not origin immoderate inconvenience to our passengers," nan hose said.

IndiGo confirmed that "a fewer of our world flights are impacted," and is offering passengers elastic re-booking options aliases refunds.

Air India noted that respective flights bound for North America, nan UK, Europe, and nan Middle East would return longer routes.

Industry sources item that longer journeys mean accrued substance depletion and higher operational costs, perchance starring airlines to raise fares successful nan coming days. 

What happened successful 2019?

During nan 2019 Balakot airspace closure, airlines collectively mislaid astir ₹700 crore, pinch passengers facing fare hikes ranging from 8% to arsenic precocious arsenic 40%.

Flights presently taking disconnected from cardinal hubs for illustration Delhi and Mumbai are expected to beryllium peculiarly affected, pinch extended routes via Gujarat aliases Maharashtra earlier heading west, adding inconvenience for travelers and operational strain for carriers.

Published on: Apr 25, 2025 12:32 PM IST