Indian airlines quickly resume flights as Pakistan opens airspace

NEW DELHI: Airlines in India, both local and foreign, have quickly begun resuming suspended flights and operating diverted ones on the shorter and direct pre-February 27 routes after Pakistan re-opened its airspace on Tuesday.

Flyers between India and the west will now increasingly get more choices for faster travel at lower airfares. Travel portal Yatra COO Sharat Dhall said airfares to Europe and Americas have dropped by 15-20 percent and to Gulf by up to 30 percent. "Economy return airfares on Delhi-Abu Dhabi sector have dropped from over Rs30,000 to Rs17,000. And for London, they have dropped from Rs80,000 to Rs63,000 now. We expect a growth in passenger traffic on these routes," he said.

According to media reports, Air India suffered a loss of Rs430 crore in the four-month period when airspace was restricted by Pakistan after Balakot air strikes, civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

He said 40 percent of the operating expenses of the airline is on fuel and other geo-political factors and closure of airspace by Pakistan cost the airline dearly. The flight relief is coming in thick and fast.