Pakistan closing airspace means India’s airlines will fly longer: report

Flights from India to Europe, Canada and the US will take about two hours longer and airlines will be forced to cut payloads after Pakistan closed its airspace to carriers from its neighbouring nation, reports Bloomberg.

In a tit-for-tat measure after India downgraded ties in response to a deadly gun attack in the territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan prime minister’s office said in a statement that the country’s National Security Committee has decided to close its airspace to Indian airlines. A formal order has not been issued yet.

The restriction is set to impact the operations of Air India, which has the most medium- and long-haul flights to the west and IndiGo, the country’s largest carrier, which plans to launch direct flights to Europe starting July this year.

“The impact will be on ultra-long range flights in terms of time and payload carriage limitations, which would mean more fuel burn, thus, increasing the cost of operations,” said PP Singh, a senior manager at erstwhile carrier Jet Airways Ltd. “The airspace over the Persian Gulf, which will provide an alternative route, is already limited and congested and that may further add to flight delays.”

Pakistan previously closed its airspace for about five months in 2019 after India struck an alleged terrorist training camp following another terror attack.Air India and SpiceJet Ltd, in a statement, said that their flights will take longer routes to avoid Pakistani airspace. IndiGo said some international flight schedules will be affected.