Latest news with #airspaceclosure
Zawya
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Pakistan extends airspace ban for Indian airlines until June 24
Pakistan extended its airspace closure for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines until 4:59 a.m. local time on June 24, the Pakistan Airports Authority said in a statement on Friday. The restriction applies to "all aircraft registered, operated, owned, or leased by India" and includes Indian military aircraft, the authority said in a statement. The move extends restrictions first imposed last month amid continuing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. (Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Karachi; Writing by Surbhi Misra; Editing by Toby Chopra in New Delhi)
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Pakistan extends airspace ban for Indian airlines until June 24
May 23 (Reuters) - Pakistan extended its airspace closure for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines until 4:59 a.m. local time on June 24, the Pakistan Airports Authority said in a statement on Friday. The restriction applies to "all aircraft registered, operated, owned, or leased by India" and includes Indian military aircraft, the authority said in a statement. The move extends restrictions first imposed last month amid continuing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Arab News
10-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan shuts its airspace for 24 hours after fresh exchange of strikes with India
KARACHI: Pakistan has once again closed its airspace to all domestic and international flights for 24 hours, the country's airports authority said on Saturday, hours after Islamabad hit Indian military targets in retaliation to what it said were strikes on three of its air bases. India-Pakistan tensions, sparked by last month's attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people, spiraled into a military conflict this week, when India conducted missile strikes on what it called 'militant training camps' in five Pakistani cities, which Islamabad said killed 31 civilians. Both sides have since exchanged drone, missile and artillery strikes, with either one claiming to have acted in retaliation. The ongoing conflict forced intermittent closure of airspaces in both countries, where flight operations were already affected since the neighbors closed their airspaces for the other shortly after the Kashmir attack. While Pakistan partially resumed flight operations this week, Islamabad decided to close its airspace for another 24 hours after Pakistan launched strikes on Indian military targets in response to what it said were attacks on three of its air bases, one close to the capital, in the wee hours of Saturday. 'Pakistan's airspace will remain closed for all types of flights until 12PM tomorrow (May 11),' a Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) spokesperson said around Saturday noon. The ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India have plunged flight operations across the region into a disarray, with several domestic and international flights delayed, canceled or returned. The state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) this week suspended all flights after halting ground operations and initially diverting airborne planes to Karachi. The latest closure bars both domestic and international air traffic from entering Pakistan's airspace, a major corridor for flights between Europe and Asia. Several Asian airlines, including EVA Air, Korean Air, Thai Airways and China Airlines, have rerouted or delayed flights for Europe, citing 'safety concerns' due to the ongoing conflict. A Taipei-Milan flight was diverted to Vienna for refueling this week, while Korean Air opted for a longer route via Myanmar and Bangladesh. India's flight operations have also been impacted, with several airports closed. The conflict has drawn international concern and world powers, including the United States, United Kingdom and China, have urged both countries to exercise restraint and avoid any escalation.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia closes airspace over Kapustin Yar, site of Oreshnik ballistic missile launch
Russia will close its airspace over the Kapustin Yar missile testing range for two days on 12 and 13 May to allow for the potential launch of ballistic missiles. Source: Ukrainian military news outlet Militarnyi, citing the official NOTAMs website Details: Militarnyi noted that the conditions for the airspace closure might indicate the possible launch of ballistic missiles. Particularly noteworthy is the specified altitude range to be closed: from ground level to an unlimited height. The restriction applies to all aircraft that may fly in this area on 12 and 13 May from 06:00 to 16:00 local time. A similar flight ban was previously in place on 21 November 2024, ahead of a ballistic missile strike by a Kedr (Oreshnik) missile on Dnipro. For reference: The Russian medium-range ballistic missile Oreshnik was developed based on the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile is equipped with six warheads, each containing six sub-munitions. Its speed at the final phase of the trajectory is over 11 Mach, which is 3.7 km per second. Tests of the missile system took place at the Kapustin Yar range in October 2023 and June 2024. Previously: The US Embassy in Ukraine urged American citizens present in the country on the evening of 9 May to be cautious due to the risk of a large-scale airstrike "over the next several days". Background: Ukraine's Air Force noted that Russia had used an intercontinental ballistic missile during the missile attack on the city of Dnipro on 21 November 2024. Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that it could have been a Rubezh missile, a potential carrier of nuclear warheads. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin stated in an address that Russia had used the Oreshnik medium-range missile during the morning attack on Dnipro on 21 November. The United States officially confirmed that on the morning of 21 November, Russia had struck Dnipro with a ballistic missile based on the RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Flights avoid Pakistan airspace after India's pre-dawn missile strikes
A wave of flight cancellations and diversions hit Asia, the Middle East, and Europe on Wednesday morning as airlines rerouted aircraft to avoid the Pakistani airspace, which remained closed following India's precision strikes on alleged terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The escalation, one of the most serious between the nuclear-armed neighbours in over two decades, has left northern airspace across the subcontinent nearly empty of civilian aircraft, with both India and Pakistan suspending operations at key airports and multiple international carriers announcing route changes. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed more than dozens of flights cancelled and rerouted as of Wednesday morning. Airlines from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia confirmed emergency mid-air changes and longer detours over the Arabian Sea and Central Asia to keep aircraft out of the conflict zone. At least 52 flights to and from Pakistan were cancelled on Wednesday morning, hours after the strike, according to FlightRadar24, which monitors flights worldwide. There were 57 international flights operating in Pakistan's airspace when India struck, according to a Pakistan army spokesperson. By around 1pm on Wednesday just a couple of flights were seen landing in Pakistan's major cities, including one flight coming from Abu Dhabi to Lahore. On Thursday, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said that its airspace had been reopened for flights, but it remains unclear when airlines will resume their regular operations. In India, 27 airports were closed for commercial operations in northern and western parts, close to the Pakistan border, until 10 May. The shutdown resulted in the cancellation of at least 140 flights on Wednesday. Indian carriers have cancelled 430 flights on Thursday – about 3 per cent of the country's total scheduled flights. While airlines in Pakistan cancelled over 147 flights, which amounted to 17 per cent of their daily schedules, according to The Economic Times. The affected Indian airports include some popular tourist destinations like Amritsar, Ludhiana, Shimla, Dharamsala, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Bikaner, as well as Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Gulf carriers like Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Flydubai also cancelled flights to cities in northern Pakistan and India, including Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot, and Amritsar. Emirates urged passengers 'not to proceed to airports' in affected cities and confirmed that flights to Karachi remain operational. Etihad said three of its flights en route to Pakistan late on Tuesday were forced to return to Abu Dhabi. Services between Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad have been suspended until further notice. Flydubai, which had initially suspended flights, has resumed limited operations to cities like Multan and Faisalabad, citing ongoing safety assessments. A spokesperson for Qatar Airways said passenger safety remains their priority. KLM said it would not fly over Pakistan until further notice. Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Korean Air have also adjusted routes, adding several hours to some Europe-bound journeys. Taiwan 's EVA Air and China Airlines said that their long-haul flights to London, Milan, Frankfurt, and Rome have been either rerouted for refuelling stops or cancelled entirely. Korean Air said it had switched to a southern route bypassing Pakistan, now flying over Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India. Lufthansa 's Delhi- Frankfurt service was seen rerouting southwest near Surat, adding distance compared to its usual route. Airline shares across the region, including EVA Air and China Airlines, dipped on Wednesday. The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines said the situation was being closely monitored and raised concerns about ' GPS spoofing and operational disruptions' near conflict zones. It warned these could become serious flight safety issues if not addressed. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered the closure of several northern airports including Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Dharamshala and Amritsar. Domestic carriers such as IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India have suspended services to these destinations, with Air India offering refunds and rescheduling waivers to affected passengers. In Pakistan, all civilian airspace has been closed for 48 hours. The military said 57 international flights were passing through its airspace when Indian strikes began. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel guidance on Tuesday night. British nationals are now advised against all travel within 10km of the India-Pakistan border and against all travel to Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The advisory urges travellers to remain vigilant, monitor local news, and liaise with airlines for real-time updates. Travellers currently in India or Pakistan are encouraged to register with the FCDO's travel alert system and consult the travel pages before making new plans.
