Aviation: 18 Indian airports shut, over 200 flights cancelled; Pak flips-flops
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Hours after India carried out precision strike to destroy 21 terror camos across nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday, India’s multiple airlines temporarily cancelled over 200 flights as the government shut at least 18 airports in northern and western India, the media reported.
The step was taken following airspace restrictions imposed after India eliminated terror infrastructure in Pakistan and the PoK, as New Delhi anticipated possible retaliation by the terror-infested neighbouring country, whose terrified ministers have admitted that Islamabad, already broke, had nothing to loss but India can lose a lot.
Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, Akasa Air, along with some foreign carriers, cancelled services to and from multiple airports. IndiGo, the largest of them, has alone cancelled over 165 flights.
The move follows missile strikes carried out by Indian armed forces on terror targets in Pakistan earlier in the day, prompting temporary closure of certain airspace zones and airports.
The affected airports—primarily located in northern and western India—include Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shimla, Dharamshala, and Jamnagar.
IndiGo announced on Wednesday the cancellation of more than 165 domestic flights from various airports, including Amritsar and Srinagar, due to ongoing airspace restrictions. The airline, which currently operates around 2,200 flights, said the flights to/from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, and Jodhpur were cancelled for the day.
“Due to government notification on airspace restrictions, over 165 IndiGo flights from multiple airports (Amritsar, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Gwalior, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Leh, Rajkot, and Srinagar) are cancelled until 0529 hrs. IST of 10 May, 2025,” the airline said in a statement.
The affected passengers have the option to reschedule their flights on the next available service or cancel their bookings without incurring any additional charges. Full refunds will be provided, it added.
Air India also suspended flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot.
“Air India flights to and from the following stations, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot, are being cancelled till 0529 hrs IST on 10 May following a notification from aviation authorities on the closure of these airports,” the airline said.
In a post on X, it also said passengers holding valid tickets for travel during this period will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges or a full refund for cancellations.
“We are anticipating changes in flight schedules across our network and sincerely advise all customers to stay updated on their flight status before heading to the airport,” the airline said.
In an update posted on X, SpiceJet stated that several airports in northern India –namely Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar — are closed until further notice. The airline noted that both departures and arrivals, as well as connecting flights, may be affected. Impacted passengers have the option to receive a full refund or rebook on an alternate flight, subject to availability.
Akasa Air cancelled all flights to and from Srinagar, while Star Air suspended operations to/from Nanded, Hindon, Adampur, Kishangarh, and Bhuj for the day.
Amid the escalating regional tensions, international carriers have rerouted or cancelled dozens of flights to avoid Pakistani airspace. According to data from FlightRadar24, at least 52 flights to or from Pakistan were cancelled by Wednesday morning.
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), India’s busiest, has seen at least 35 flight cancellations since midnight.
“Kindly note, due to changing airspace conditions, some flights have been impacted at Delhi Airport,” Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) posted on X.
The Srinagar airport confirmed civil flights are suspended until further notice: “Civil flights at Srinagar Airport suspended till further notice. Passengers advised to contact airlines for cancellations or rescheduling,” read a statement posted on X.
Airlines also urged passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport and to stay updated through official websites and customer care channels.
The media reported that Pakistan has also shut its airspace for 48 hours after India’s anti-terror strike on nine locations.
Islamabad on Wednesday announced a 48-hour closure of its airspace for all air traffic after India carried out a military strike on terror targets in Pakistan and PoK.
Shortly after the military strike by India, Pakistani aviation authorities closed the airspace over Islamabad and Lahore and diverted flights to Karachi. Later, the entire airspace was closed for 48 hours as a precautionary measure.
However, aviation authorities reopened the airspace after an eight-hour closure.
International and domestic flights resumed this morning, with the majority of them departing from the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi or Lahore. Flights to and from Lahore were closed again for 24 hours after a brief resumption.
A heavy rush was witnessed at the Jinnah Airport in Karachi as delayed international and domestic flights took off or landed there.
A spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority said that flights from West Asian countries and other destinations are now fully operational as per schedule.
He added that domestic flights had also become operational until further notice.
The spokesperson said an Uzbekistan Airlines flight from Tashkent had reached New Delhi via Lahore.
Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, in retaliation for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people.
