Rising tensions between India and Pakistan have led to major disruptions in air travel, forcing several airlines across Asia to cancel or reroute flights. The conflict, marked by some of the most intense clashes in twenty years, has severely affected airspace and passenger movement in the region.
Reports show that airspace over northern India and southern Pakistan has been nearly cleared, with very few flights operating. By Wednesday, more than 50 flights to and from Pakistan were cancelled, while many others were rerouted to avoid the conflict zone. The disruptions worsened as military aircraft from both countries were seen flying in the affected areas.
FlightRadar24, an air traffic monitoring site, confirmed that as tensions grew, commercial air traffic in the region dropped sharply. In Karachi, only two international flights were operational following an eight-hour suspension caused by airspace restrictions.
Air India, the country’s national airline, was among the first to suspend operations. It cancelled flights to key northern cities including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, and Rajkot due to airport closures. The airline stated that services would remain suspended until at least May 10.
Other Indian airlines, including IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, also halted flights to northern and northwestern parts of the country, especially near the Pakistan border. These changes have added further strain to air travel across South Asia and the Middle East, regions already facing disruptions from other ongoing conflicts.
