LAHORE – The closure of Pakistani airspace is causing a loss of more than 200 million Indian rupee to Air India daily as the flights has to take long route.
After Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines, the flag carrier of Indian has decided to take alternative and longer routes for its international flights. As a result, flight durations have increased, fuel costs have gone up, and passengers are also experiencing delays.
Reports said the Indian aircraft have to take longer routes for destinations in North America, Europe, the UK, and the Middle East.
Due to the longer routes, the operational costs are increasing.
Despite this, Air India has not increased its fares and has maintained current ticket prices in view of international competition. Interestingly, even with the longer flights, Air India has kept its fares unchanged.
As of now, the fare from Delhi to London remains around PKR 735,000 (USD 2,640), while the fare from Delhi to New York is approximately PKR 807,000 (USD 2,900), which is the same as before April 23, 2025.
A day earlier, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), barring Indian-registered airlines from using Pakistani airspace.
It was issued in light of the decisions taken by the National Security Council (NSC) after India took irresponsible measures following the Pahalgam incident.
According to the report, an initial one-month airspace restriction has been imposed on Indian airlines. The NOTAM states that Pakistani airspace is unavailable for Indian-registered civilian and military aircraft, including those owned or leased by Indian operators.
Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Akasa Air are among the carriers affected. With the ban, Indian flights operating from cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Delhi, and Goa will require up to 2 extra hours of travel time due to rerouted paths.
