Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian airlines

Pakistan has extended its airspace ban on Indian aircraft for another month, keeping restrictions in place until November 24, 2026. The decision prolongs a disruption that has forced Indian airlines to reroute international flights, increase fuel consumption, and adjust operations for more than a year.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) extending the restriction beyond its previous expiry date of October 24, 2026. The ban applies to Indian-registered aircraft, as well as aircraft owned, operated, or leased by Indian airlines and operators, including military flights. It covers both Pakistan’s Karachi and Lahore flight information regions (FIRs).

The latest extension does not introduce a new restriction. Instead, it maintains an existing measure introduced in April 2025 following a sharp deterioration in relations between India and Pakistan.

The closure particularly affects flights departing from northern India and travelling west towards Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, the Caucasus and North America. Before the restrictions, many of these services used Pakistani airspace as a direct corridor to their destinations.

Air India, IndiGo and Air India Express have been among the carriers affected. Depending on the destination, flights take longer routes around Pakistan, often via the Arabian Sea and Iranian airspace.

Longer routes increase fuel burn and operating costs. They also complicate crew scheduling, aircraft rotations and flight planning. On some long-haul services, airlines have needed to arrange technical stops for refuelling. Other routes have faced schedule changes or temporary suspensions.

The restrictions have also affected airlines’ network planning. Air India is reducing some European services for the 2026 winter season, including suspending flights from Delhi to Copenhagen and Vienna and reducing frequencies on selected other routes. The airline has cited several contributing factors, including the Pakistan airspace closure, high fuel prices and aircraft availability. The changes are therefore not attributable to the airspace ban alone.

Airspace dispute dates back to 2025

The dispute began after an attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, killed 26 people.

India accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, while Islamabad denied involvement. The attack triggered a series of retaliatory measures, including diplomatic actions and restrictions affecting air transport links between the two countries.

Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian aircraft on April 23, 2025. India responded a week later by banning Pakistani-registered aircraft and aircraft operated, owned or leased by Pakistani airlines from its airspace.

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Tensions escalated in May 2025, when India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting sites it described as terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The two countries later agreed to a ceasefire, but political tensions persisted.

Despite the ceasefire, both countries have maintained their airspace restrictions, forcing affected airlines to continue using alternative routes.

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