Following the attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian aircraft.
This closure will affect Indian airlines, causing longer flight routes to several international destinations.
As a result, travelers will face longer flight times, and airlines will incur higher operating costs, which could impact ticket prices.
Extra Travel Time to These Countries
The most significant impact will be on flights from India to the US, UK, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Denmark, UAE, and Qatar. Due to the closure of Pakistan’s airspace, Indian airlines will need to take alternative routes, leading to an additional travel time of about 1 hour.
Airlines like Indigo, SpiceJet, Air India, and Akasa will be affected by these changes. However, domestic flights are not impacted at the moment.
Interestingly, the fares for flights from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai have dropped by 35% in the last two days.
Advisories Issued by Airlines
All airlines have issued advisories regarding the airspace closure. SpiceJet, for example, has stated that its flights from North India to the UAE will operate on alternative routes.
These flights will carry extra fuel to cover the longer journey but will not cause significant delays to the flight schedule.
Background of the Situation
This airspace closure comes after India took action against Pakistan by suspending the Indus Water Treaty in response to the terrorist attack.
The Indus River is crucial to Pakistan, with over 210 million people depending on it for water.
In retaliation, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian flights and halted trade with India.
