Indian airlines may face turbulence as Pakistan closes its skies
India's top airlines, Air India and IndiGo, are now facing higher fuel costs and longer flight times after Pakistan shut its airspace to Indian carriers, reported Reuters. This move comes amid rising tensions between the two neighbours following a deadly militant attack in Indian Kashmir earlier this week.The Indian government has pointed fingers at Pakistan for the assault, in which 26 people were killed, while Pakistan has denied any involvement. In response to the political fallout, both countries have taken steps against each other. While India has paused the Indus Waters Treaty (a key river water-sharing treaty), Pakistan has blocked Indian airlines from flying over its airspace.advertisementThough the ban doesn't affect international carriers, Indian airlines are already feeling the pinch. Flights to places like New York, Dubai and Azerbaijan, which usually take the shorter route over Pakistan, are now being rerouted. This means longer travel times and higher fuel bills.
New Delhi airport is likely to be hit the hardest since it handles most of the long-distance flights heading to Europe, the Middle East and North America, mentioned the report.An aviation industry insider said Air India's flights to the Middle East will now take around an hour longer than usual. This will not only add to fuel costs but also limit the cargo they can carry, as more fuel means less space.Air India shared that some of its flights to the UK, North America, Europe and the Middle East will now take longer routes. The airline wrote on X, '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.'
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IndiGo also confirmed that 'a few' of its flights will also be affected.
Ajay Awtaney, who runs an aviation-focused website, said Air India will bear the brunt of the ban due to its wide network of long-haul international flights.This new hurdle comes at a tough time for India's aviation sector, already battling aircraft delivery delays from Boeing and Airbus.Airlines now need to rethink flight schedules, recalculate flying hours, and rejig crew rosters to stay within aviation rules, said an Indian airline pilot, mentioned report.For example, IndiGo's Thursday flight from Delhi to Baku took 5 hours and 43 minutes on the new route via Gujarat and Iran, compared to 5 hours and 5 minutes on Wednesday when it used the usual route over Pakistan, as per FlightAware data.Pakistan has said the airspace closure will stay in effect until May 23. Back in 2019, a similar closure caused a loss of at least $64 million to Indian airlines, according to the Indian government.Tune InTrending Reel
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