India’s leading carriers, Air India and IndiGo, are facing operational disruptions, increased fuel costs, and longer flight durations after Pakistan shut its airspace to Indian commercial flights. The closure follows heightened diplomatic tensions over a deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which India has linked to Pakistani involvement — a claim Islamabad has strongly denied.
The move to block Indian aircraft from Pakistani skies is already impacting international routes, especially those departing from New Delhi, one of the busiest airports in the world. Flights from India to key destinations such as Europe, the Middle East, and North America typically pass through Pakistani airspace. Now, airlines must reroute flights, adding up to an hour or more of additional flying time, burning extra fuel, and limiting cargo capacity to accommodate the increased fuel load.
According to data from Flightradar24 and Cirium Ascend, more than 1,200 outbound flights from New Delhi operated by Air India, IndiGo, and Air India Express are scheduled for the West in April alone — many of which now need rerouting. On Thursday, Air India flights to New York and Dubai, and IndiGo’s flight to Baku, were among the first visibly affected, taking significantly longer routes via the Arabian Sea and Iran instead of directly through Pakistan.
The situation has further strained the already pressured Indian airline sector, which is dealing with aircraft delivery delays from Boeing and Airbus, and the ever-present challenge of rising fuel prices, which typically account for 30% of airline operating costs.
Air India, with the largest long-haul network out of Delhi, is most severely impacted. The airline posted on X (formerly Twitter) that several of its flights to North America, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East will now take alternative, longer routes. IndiGo acknowledged that “a few” of its flights would be affected but is still assessing the full impact.
Behind the scenes, aviation teams have been working overtime to manage the fallout. One airline executive admitted that staff worked late into the night to revise schedules and crew rosters, while a pilot noted that changes would also require recalculating flight hours under aviation safety regulations.
This is not the first time Pakistan has closed its airspace in response to political tensions. In 2019, a similar airspace shutdown following another India-Pakistan standoff lasted five months and cost Indian airlines at least $64 million, according to government estimates.
This current closure is expected to last until May 23, with Pakistan warning that the situation could escalate further. Meanwhile, economic and logistical pressure continues to mount on Indian airlines already navigating a tough global environment.
As political tensions threaten regional air travel stability, India’s aviation industry once again finds itself caught in the crossfire — absorbing financial losses, logistical headaches, and delays with no clear resolution in sight.
