Ban on Indian carriers’ airspace usage forces longer routes, increased fuel consumption, and potential fare hikes, affecting over 800 weekly flights.
Key Takeaways:
i) Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines, effective Thursday evening, leading to significant disruptions for over 800 weekly flights.
ii) The airspace closure is forcing Indian airlines to take longer routes, increasing flight times by 15 minutes to several hours, resulting in higher fuel burn and operational complexities.
iii) IndiGo has already announced the suspension of flights to Tashkent and Almaty due to the increased operational range required by the airspace restrictions, and airfares on affected routes are expected to rise by 8-12%.
Money Matters Monitoring – A recent report by The Indian Express, in an article titled “Pakistan airspace closure: Over 800 weekly flights of Indian airlines may be impacted; IndiGo suspends flights to Tashkent, Almaty,” highlights the substantial impact of Pakistan’s decision to close its airspace to Indian carriers. The article states, “[W]ith Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian airlines from Thursday evening, over 800 flights a week are likely to be impacted by longer flight times, increased fuel burn, and a few other complexities related to crew and flight scheduling, all of which would increase operational costs.”
The immediate repercussions of this closure are being felt by Indian airlines operating flights from North India to West Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, the UK, and the eastern region of North America. These flights are now compelled to undertake longer routes, predominantly over the Arabian Sea, adding considerable time to journeys. According to a senior pilot quoted in the India Today report, flight durations to the US and Europe could increase by 2 to 2.5 hours. “[F]lights from cities like Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Varanasi are directly impacted,” a senior airline official told PTI, as reported by India Today.
The closure has already led to flight diversions and cancellations. Samaa TV reported that within the first 16 hours, over 60 flights were disrupted. Air India’s Toronto-Delhi flight was diverted to Copenhagen for refueling, while flights from Paris and London made unplanned stops in Abu Dhabi, as per Geo News. IndiGo has announced the suspension of its Delhi to Almaty flights from April 27 to at least May 7, and its Delhi to Tashkent flights from April 28 to at least May 7, citing the extended operational range now required, according to The Indian Express.
The financial implications for Indian airlines are significant. A senior travel industry executive informed India Today that airfares on affected routes could see an 8-12% increase due to higher fuel consumption and operational costs. If the airspace closure persists, ticket prices may rise further. This situation echoes the 2019 airspace closure, which reportedly cost Indian airlines around Indian Rupees 700 crore due to similar factors, as noted by The Indian Express.
In response to the situation, Air India stated that its flights to North America, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East are being rerouted. IndiGo acknowledged that “a few” of its international flights are being impacted and that they are working to minimize inconvenience to passengers, as reported by The New Indian Express.
The closure of Pakistani airspace follows heightened tensions after a deadly attack in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, IIOJK, prompting a strong diplomatic response from India, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and a reduction in diplomatic presence, according to Geo News and India Today. Pakistan has also reportedly put on hold bilateral agreements, shut down the Wagah border, and suspended SAARC visas for Indian nationals, further escalating the situation.
The disruption is expected to continue as long as the airspace remains closed, with airlines having to adjust schedules, manage increased fuel costs, and potentially revise pilot rosters due to longer flight hours, as indicated by Reuters. The full financial and operational impact will become clearer as airlines implement revised flight plans over the coming days.
