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Pakistan has recently prohibited Indian carriers from using its airspace. This restriction applies to every aircraft registered in India, whether owned or leased by Indian airlines.
Impact on Flight Routes and Travel Duration
With the ban in effect, airlines including Air India and IndiGo have confirmed that their international operations will be affected. Flights departing from Delhi and northern cities are expected to take alternative, longer routes over the Arabian Sea.
According to aviation officials and pilots, certain flights bound for the US and Europe might see an extension of travel time by approximately 2 to 2.5 hours.
The detour over the Arabian Sea means that aircraft will consume more fuel, which in turn raises operational costs. This extra fuel requirement not only pushes up the expenses but also creates payload limitations, forcing airlines to reduce the number of passengers or cargo they can carry.
As a consequence, a senior industry executive estimates that airfares on Indian carriers could jump by 8–12 percent in the short term, with potential further increases if the ban continues.
Additional Airlines Affected
Other carriers such as Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air will also face similar challenges.
The need to adopt longer flight paths is likely to have a widespread impact across the industry, affecting overall scheduling and route efficiency.
This is not the first instance of such a measure. Similar restrictions were imposed by Pakistan in February 2019 following the Pulwama attack and subsequent air strikes by the Indian Air Force in Balakot, which led to a several-month-long closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian flights.
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