Pakistan Shuts Airspace to Indian Flights

The Pakistan Airports Authority dropped the news in a formal NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), making it official: no Indian military or leased planes can cross Pakistani airspace until at least May 25.

Pakistan just closed its airspace for all Indian aircraft, and the financial fallout for Indian carriers is going to be brutal. Longer routes and skyrocketing fuel costs this isn’t just a minor inconvenience. It’s a logistical nightmare.

Tensions have been boiling over since Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) huddled for talks recently. Now, things have escalated fast.

Here’s the real kicker: Indian airlines operate 70 to 100 flights daily through Pakistani airspace. We’re talking major routes to Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Big names like Air India, Indigo, and SpiceJet are stuck scrambling for alternatives. Even cargo flights and special ops are getting tangled in this mess.

So what’s the workaround? Indian flights now have to swing way south over the Arabian Sea or detour through Muscat and Doha before cutting into Chinese airspace. Some trips could stretch three extra hours—imagine the fuel burn on that.

The cost? Millions daily, easy. Airlines operating out of Delhi, Mumbai, and other major hubs are staring down massive losses.

But this isn’t just about flights. Pakistan’s also axed all bilateral deals with India, doubling down after that messy Pahalgam incident in Kashmir and India’s sudden move to freeze the Indus Waters Treaty.