Pakistan extends airspace ban for Indian flights

Islamabad: Pakistan has decided to extend the closure of its airspace for Indian flights by another month, following heightened tensions between the two countries after the Pahalgam incident.

The restriction was initially imposed on April 24 and is now expected to remain in place, with a formal announcement likely today or tomorrow, followed by a NOTAM issuance.

The airspace ban has already caused Indian airlines over ₹800 crore in losses during the past month. Without emergency support from the Indian government, airlines may be forced to make drastic operational decisions to stay afloat.

According to aviation sources, Indian carriers have incurred approximately ₹500 crore in fuel-related losses alone, while stopover expenses over the 30-day period have amounted to ₹300 crore. A Boeing 777 aircraft consumes around 6,668 kg of jet fuel per hour, with the current cost per hour totaling $5,467 in India.

Read more: Air travel in Pakistan remains disrupted as 150 flights are cancelled

Daily extended flight operations of 75 Boeing aircrafts are costing Indian airlines an additional $410,000 in fuel each day. Similarly, Airbus A319/320/321 aircrafts are burning an additional $147,000 daily.

Extended flight paths—often 2 to 4 hours longer—are required for routes to the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the UK. With 75 Boeing and 75 Airbus aircrafts each flying two extra hours daily, fuel expenses alone have surged by $557,625 per day, equivalent to over PKR 5 billion.

Additionally, increased crew duty hours, dual landings, refueling stops, and airport charges have driven total operational overheads to an estimated PKR 2.5–3 billion over 30 days.

Air India has been the hardest hit and has officially requested government aid. Other carriers, including Akasa Air, SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Air India Express, have also faced partial disruptions.

Flights from Amritsar, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Jaipur are now forced to detour across India and into the Arabian Sea.

If the ban remains, Indian carriers may face steep fare hikes, route reconfigurations, and wider disruptions in international operations.