The closure of Pakistan’s airspace has severely impacted the flight operations of Indian airlines, with flight durations increasing by two to four hours.
Major carriers such as Air India, SpiceJet, and IndiGo have been forced to reroute and adjust their operations, resulting in significant delays. For instance, Air India’s flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to destinations like New York, London, and Istanbul have been diverted, and several flights have had to land for refueling in Vienna and other countries.
Indian airlines traveling to the United States, particularly from New Delhi, used to enter Pakistani airspace through Lahore, but now, due to the airspace closure, these flights must take a longer route, traveling over the Arabian Sea and adding an extra four hours to their journey.
The disruption has also affected flights between New York and Delhi, with Air India and IndiGo rerouting their transcontinental flights. For instance, SpiceJet’s flight from Amritsar to Dubai, which previously entered Pakistani airspace via Lahore and then traveled through Gwadar, now takes a longer detour.
These disruptions have led to longer flight times, with some flights that used to take 10 hours now requiring up to 14 hours to reach destinations like the U.S. and Europe. As a result, Indian travelers are increasingly opting for airlines from the Middle East and other countries.
Industry sources suggest that Indian airlines could face significant financial losses due to the prolonged airspace closure, which could last for a month or longer. This disruption is expected to continue to heavily impact their operations and profitability.
