Over 300 flights have been cancelled, and 25 airports in northern and western India have been temporarily closed as airspace restrictions are imposed following missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan. Airlines like Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet have been heavily affected
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More than 300 flights have been cancelled, and at least 25 airports, including Srinagar, have been temporarily closed for operations due to airspace restrictions that followed missile attacks launched by Indian armed forces on terror targets in Pakistan early on Wednesday.
As per PTI reports, airlines including Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and several international carriers have been affected by the disruption. According to sources, the shutdown has affected key airports in the northern and western parts of the country. Airports such as Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shimla, Dharamshala, and Jamnagar have all been temporarily closed.
IndiGo, one of India’s largest carriers, reported the cancellation of more than 165 flights from various domestic airports, including Amritsar and Srinagar, which are impacted by the ongoing airspace restrictions. The cancellations will continue until at least 5:29 AM IST on May 10. The airline’s statement indicated that passengers affected by the cancellations can reschedule their flights for free or choose to cancel their bookings with a full refund.
Meanwhile, Air India Group, which includes both Air India and Air India Express, has grounded around 140 flights. The airline confirmed that flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot are cancelled until the morning of May 10, as per aviation authorities' notifications. Air India also reassured passengers that those with valid tickets during this period could opt for a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges or a full refund for cancellations.
SpiceJet also announced a suspension of flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Dharamshala, Amritsar, and Kandla until May 10. The airline said affected passengers could opt for either a full refund or reschedule their flights, subject to availability.
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) saw a significant impact as well, with over 140 flights cancelled, including both domestic and international services. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 confirmed that international carriers such as United Airlines and American Airlines also cancelled their services to and from Delhi. In addition, regional carrier Star Air grounded flights to and from Nanded, Hindon, Adampur, Kishangarh, and Bhuj.
The ongoing airspace closures also led to the suspension of flights to Pakistan. Qatar Airways, in an official post, announced the suspension of its services to Pakistan due to the closure of Pakistani airspace.
This disruption is in response to the missile strikes launched by Indian forces under Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror bases in Pakistan, including those belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke. This operation follows the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, for which the Indian forces sought to retaliate. As per PTI, this led to the temporary shutdown of about 25 flight routes that typically allow aircraft to enter Pakistan through Indian airspace.
(With inputs from PTI)
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