Pakistan Shuts Airspace to Indian Carriers

Air India also said that routes to North America, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East are being reconfigured. “Due to the announced restriction of Pakistan airspace for all Indian airlines, it is expected that some Air India flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route,” the carrier said.

Losses from 2019 Airspace Closure

The development draws parallels to the 2019 airspace closure that lasted over four months, following a similar escalation in India-Pakistan tensions.

During that period, Indian airlines reportedly suffered collective losses of approximately INR 5.5 billion (around $65 million). Then-state-owned Air India bore the brunt with losses of nearly INR 4.9 billion ($57.5 million), while private carriers like SpiceJet and IndiGo faced losses of INR 307 million ($3.6 million) and INR 251 million ($3 million), respectively.

After the over 4-month closure in 2019 when the reopening of the airspace was announced Air India had stated that the reopening would decrease its operational costs for one-way flights to the U.S. by INR 2 million and for European flights by INR 500,000.

The airlines would have to brace for another round of financial strain if the current closure continues for a long period. The rerouting of long-haul services not only extends flight durations but also affects crew scheduling, aircraft utilization, and hub connectivity strategies.

Air India’s Summer Schedule

The impact is especially pronounced for Air India. The carrier had announced a number of additional frequencies on European routes as part of its northern summer schedule from March 30 onwards.

The carrier announced increased frequencies on several UK and Europe routes. Services between Delhi and London Heathrow have been ramped up from 21 to 24 flights per week. From Amritsar, flights to both Birmingham and London Gatwick have each been increased from three to four per week. The Ahmedabad-London Gatwick route sees a jump from three to five weekly services. The Delhi-Zurich and Delhi-Vienna flight frequencies have also been increased.

Air India currently operates 71 weekly flights (one-way) to North America, 133 weekly flights in Europe to 10 points: Amsterdam Schiphol, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Milan Malpensa, Paris CDG, Vienna, and Zurich. The airline also operates 142 weekly flights to the Middle East.

The airspace ban comes amid a wider retaliatory chain of actions between the India and Pakistan after Tuesday’s attack. India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and downgraded diplomatic relations, while Pakistan’s halted bilateral trade and closed the Wagah border.