Closure of Pakistan’s airspace forces Indian Airlines to take longer routes
New Delhi: Pakistan’s decision to close its airspace for Indian carriers has disrupted international flight operations, compelling airlines to adopt longer routes over the Arabian Sea to reach destinations in North America, Europe, the UK, and the Middle East. This action is likely to result in extended flight durations and possible delays for passengers while also increasing operational costs for airlines.
A Civil Aviation Ministry official added that the additional flying time and fuel costs have prompted airlines to approach the ministry seeking operational incentives and confirmed that the rerouting was unavoidable under the current circumstances. This situation mirrors the aftermath of the Pulwama attacks in 2019, when similar airspace restrictions were imposed.
Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air are among the affected carriers. While most airlines have not issued statements regarding fare adjustments, the added costs may lead to future price hikes.
Citing range limitations of its current fleet under the new routing requirements, IndiGo has announced the cancellation of its flights to Almaty in Kazakhstan from April 27 to May 7 and to Tashkent in Uzbekistan from April 28 to May 7. The airline noted that around 50 of its international routes would now involve longer flight paths and slight schedule changes.
Flights from North India to the UAE would now operate on alternate routes and carry additional fuel to accommodate the longer duration, SpiceJet confirmed. Advising customers to expect delays on routes to North America, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East due to the ongoing airspace restrictions, Air India also notified passengers via social media.
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PM Modi chairs high-level meeting after ceasefire announcement
New Delhi, May 10 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting Saturday evening with top government functionaries, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, following the announcement that India and Pakistan have reached an understanding to stop military actions.
NSA Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and all three service chiefs were among those who attended the meeting.
The directors general of military operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firings and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5 pm on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
The brief announcement by the foreign secretary came shortly after US President Donald Trump said India and Pakistan have agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after talks mediated by the US.
The DGMO of Pakistan called the DGMO of India at 3.35 pm earlier this afternoon, Misri said.
