India-US Flight Journey: More Time, More Fare

Soon after the heinous terrorist attack that killed 27 tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, the Indian government took seven major diplomatic decisions in retaliation against Pakistan. In a counter, the Pakistani government yesterday announced the closure of its airspace to Indian carriers.

The closure of Pakistani airspace would mean longer flight durations, operational complications, and additional fuel burn, which would invariably mean more expensive tickets for flights to the westward destinations, including the USA and Canada, and other major countries. In 2019, the Indian flight carriers lost over Rs 700 crore after the Pakistani government closed its airspace to India in retaliation for the Indian government’s airstrikes on Balakot.

The Pakistani government’s decision will impact the Indian airliners to North America, the UK, Europe, Middle East, West Asia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Pak’s decision will prove advantageous to the flight carriers from other countries flying passengers to and from India via Pakistani airspace. Airlines from North Indian airports, including Delhi, Lucknow, and Amritsar, may have to take a detour to Gujarat or Maharashtra and then turn right for Europe, North America, or West Asia.

India’s leading airlines, Air India and IndiGo, took to X and informed their customers about the Pakistani government’s decision and its impact on their flight operations. IndiGo went on to urge its customers to opt for flexible rebooking or refund claims. IndiGo also extended the duration of its Thursday evening flights from Delhi to Baku and Tbilisi by around one and a half hours and canceled its Delhi-Almaty flight.

In 2019, after Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airliners, the durations of most flights increased by at least 70-80 minutes. Air India’s flights from Delhi to Chicago had to halt in Europe for refueling. On the other hand, IndiGo’s flight from Delhi to Istanbul had to make a refueling stop at Doha, Qatar. A clear picture of the latest standoff situation between India and Pakistan and its impact on the Indian flight operations will emerge in a few days.

Travel Advisory From Air India posted on its ‘X’

Travel Advisory From Indigo posted on its ‘X’