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Indian Airlines Face ₹307 Crore Monthly Costs Due to Pakistan Airspace Closure

Pakistan's airspace restrictions, enacted after the Pahalgam terror attack, are forcing Indian carriers into longer routes, increasing operational costs and logistical challenges.

Indian airlines are facing additional costs due to having to take alternative routes as Pakistan's airspace is closed to them.
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Branding for Air India is seen on an Airbus A350-900 at the Farnborough International Airshow, in Farnborough, Britain, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
Pakistan's aviation industry is so dead it doesn't feel India's airspace ban

Overview

  • Indian airlines are incurring an estimated ₹77 crore in additional weekly costs due to rerouted flights avoiding Pakistani airspace.
  • Flights from northern Indian cities to North America, Europe, and the Middle East now take up to 1.5 hours longer, significantly raising fuel consumption and operational expenses.
  • IndiGo has adjusted about 50 international routes and canceled flights to Almaty and Tashkent through May 7, citing range limitations of its fleet.
  • Other airlines, including Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, have not announced cancellations but face challenges like payload limits, crew duty constraints, and aircraft availability.
  • The airspace restrictions, which will remain in effect until at least May 23, impact over 800 weekly flights from northern Indian cities, with ripple effects on schedules and costs across the aviation sector.