NEW DELHI: Aircraft operated by Indian carriers, charter operators and private jets registered here will have to take longer routes between North India and the west (Gulf, Middle East, CIS, Europe and North America) with Pakistan having closed its airspace for them starting Thursday 6pm (IST).
Pilots say flying times of Air India's direct flights from Delhi to North America could increase by up to two hours if they remain non-stop and are not required to take a midway fuelling halt, say in Europe. If that happens, the journey could take up to four hours longer.
Delhi-Europe flights could take up to an hour more and those to Gulf 30-45 minutes, say pilots. Some flights will be cancelled and a few rescheduled to beat night curfews at western airports. IndiGo routes flights between Delhi and Tashkent/Almaty will take 80-90 minutes longer. IndiGo cancelled its Almaty and Tashkent flights Thursday. Its Sharjah-Amritsar had to change course on Thursday to avoid Pakistan airspace. International flights between rest of the country and the west won't be impacted as they don't overfly Pakistan.
While Pakistan has not barred foreign carriers, countries do their own risk assessment for overflying any region and if they deem the geopolitical situation on India-Pakistan border risky, some of them may suspend flights. When Pakistan closed its airspace in 2019, some North American airlines had suspended Delhi flights. So there are going to be fewer and more expensive flights options between the west and North India now.
Advising passengers to check if their flight is affected, Air India posted on X, some "flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route." IndiGo said, "Schedules of a few of our international flights are impacted... keeping (impacted customers) informed, offering alternate solutions." SpiceJet said its flights to UAE from "north India will operate via alternate routes (&) carry additional fuel for longer flying time."
Closure of Pak airspace means flights between north India and the west will go close to Mumbai and Ahmedabad; then turn right over the Arabian Sea to head to Muscat and then fly to their destination. Ditto on the way back.
Pilots say flying times of Air India's direct flights from Delhi to North America could increase by up to two hours if they remain non-stop and are not required to take a midway fuelling halt, say in Europe. If that happens, the journey could take up to four hours longer.
Delhi-Europe flights could take up to an hour more and those to Gulf 30-45 minutes, say pilots. Some flights will be cancelled and a few rescheduled to beat night curfews at western airports. IndiGo routes flights between Delhi and Tashkent/Almaty will take 80-90 minutes longer. IndiGo cancelled its Almaty and Tashkent flights Thursday. Its Sharjah-Amritsar had to change course on Thursday to avoid Pakistan airspace. International flights between rest of the country and the west won't be impacted as they don't overfly Pakistan.
While Pakistan has not barred foreign carriers, countries do their own risk assessment for overflying any region and if they deem the geopolitical situation on India-Pakistan border risky, some of them may suspend flights. When Pakistan closed its airspace in 2019, some North American airlines had suspended Delhi flights. So there are going to be fewer and more expensive flights options between the west and North India now.
Advising passengers to check if their flight is affected, Air India posted on X, some "flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route." IndiGo said, "Schedules of a few of our international flights are impacted... keeping (impacted customers) informed, offering alternate solutions." SpiceJet said its flights to UAE from "north India will operate via alternate routes (&) carry additional fuel for longer flying time."
Closure of Pak airspace means flights between north India and the west will go close to Mumbai and Ahmedabad; then turn right over the Arabian Sea to head to Muscat and then fly to their destination. Ditto on the way back.
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