With Pakistan shutting its airspace to Indian carriers on Thursday, airlines now have to deal with longer flight durations and increased fuel consumption for westbound international flights departing from northern India. These factors are expected to eventually lead to higher airfares for passengers.
A review by The Indian Express of recent international flight paths from Delhi airport indicates that Pakistan’s retaliatory measure will impact Indian airlines’ routes to Central Asia, the Caucasus, West Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America.
Industry experts note that although it is still early to fully gauge the consequences, operational costs for Indian airlines will certainly rise and this burden is likely to be passed on to passengers through increased ticket prices. Furthermore, since airlines from other countries are still permitted to fly over Pakistan, they could gain a cost advantage on these affected routes compared to Indian carriers.
The last major closure of Pakistan’s airspace happened in 2019, after the Balakot airstrikes, and lasted several months. During that period, Indian airlines collectively lost around ₹700 crore due to higher fuel expenses and complications resulting from extended flight routes.
At that time, Air India was the Indian airline that suffered the most. The national carrier operated the most westbound international flights and was, and remains, the only Indian airline to operate long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights to Europe and North America.
Following the latest development, Air India issued a statement on X saying, “Due to the announced restriction of Pakistan airspace for all Indian airlines, it is expected that some Air India flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route. Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen airspace closure that is outside our control. We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority.”
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, also released a travel advisory for its passengers. Over the past two years, IndiGo has rapidly expanded its presence in the international market, especially in Central Asia and the Caucasus region, where several new destinations have gained popularity among Indian tourists.
IndiGo informed passengers, “Due to the sudden announcement of air space closure by Pakistan, a few of our international flights are being impacted. We understand the inconvenience this may cause and our teams are doing their best to help you reach your destination at the earliest. We encourage you to check the latest flight status. If your flight is impacted, please explore flexible rebooking options, or claim a refund through our website.”
On Thursday evening, IndiGo had to extend the duration of its Delhi to Baku and Tbilisi flights by about an hour and a half. It also cancelled its flight from Delhi to Almaty due to the airspace restriction.
So far, Indian carriers have refrained from publicly commenting on the likely financial impact of Pakistan’s decision. Sources within the industry indicate that airlines are still assessing the immediate effects and are primarily focused on rerouting flights that are impacted. Flights departing from northern Indian cities such as Delhi, Lucknow, and Amritsar will now probably have to fly southward towards Gujarat or Maharashtra before turning west towards their international destinations in Europe, North America, or West Asia.
A more detailed understanding of the operational and financial impacts is expected to become clear over the coming days as airlines continue to adjust.
Currently, all major Indian airlines operate numerous international flights headed westward, many of which customarily use Pakistan’s airspace.
Air India operates services to destinations across West Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America. IndiGo, on the other hand, flies to West Asia, Turkey, the Caucasus region, and Central Asia. Air India Express, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet primarily serve West Asia with their westbound international flights.
The current situation draws parallels with the events following the Indian Air Force’s airstrikes in Balakot in 2019. In response to those strikes, Pakistan fully closed its airspace on February 26, 2019, and only reopened it to overflights in July 2019. According to data provided by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, by June 2019, Indian airlines had collectively lost more than ₹550 crore because of the airspace shutdown. Industry insiders estimated that losses eventually reached around ₹700 crore by mid-July when the restrictions were finally lifted.
During the 2019 airspace closure, flight durations for many routes increased significantly. Most westbound flights had to fly additional distances, leading to longer journeys by at least 70 to 80 minutes. Air India’s flights from Delhi to Chicago were particularly impacted, often requiring a stopover in Europe for refueling because of the extended routes.
IndiGo’s operations also faced challenges during that period. Its Delhi to Istanbul flight, which at that time used a narrow-body aircraft, was forced to make an additional refueling stop in Doha to complete the journey, due to the longer distance caused by the diversion around Pakistan’s airspace.
In summary, with Pakistan’s recent airspace closure, Indian airlines now face increased operational challenges similar to those experienced in 2019. As airlines are pushed to find longer, more circuitous routes to their westbound international destinations, operational costs are bound to rise, potentially leading to higher airfares. The full scale of the financial impact will become clearer in the coming days, but early signs already point to a period of disruption and adjustment for India’s aviation sector. As Air India emphasized, “the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority” amid these unforeseen developments.