As the threat of a full-blown conflict looms over the two nuclear-armed countries of Pakistan and India, Pakistan has chosen to close down its airspace, leading to the cancellation and diversion of numerous flights (Wednesday). In addition, India has shut down six airports, including Srinagar, Jammu and Leh in Kashmir and Amritsar, Chandigarh and Dehradun, plus a vast area of airspace north of New Delhi has been closed to civilian flights.
Tension between the two countries increased on February 14 after a suicide bomb in the disputed territory of Indian Kashmir killed 40 troops, while current actions have resulted from Pakistan claiming it had shot down two Indian Air Force planes in its airspace over Kashmir. India said its forces shot down a Pakistani fighter jet, but also lost one of its own planes.
The closure of the airspace will have a considerable effect on Western holidaymakers heading for Southeast Asia and will see the diversion of many scheduled flights. Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority and the military said the country’s entire airspace had been closed, with a CAA source telling AFP that all airlines had been notified to “suspend their operations in Pakistan until further notice”.
Pakistan International Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, warned that “flights may be affected due to closure of Pakistan commercial air space”.
A spokesman for the International Air Transport Association confirmed that approximately 220 flights usually pass through Pakistani airspace each day between Europe and Southeast Asia.
“Alternative routes are available for the flights impacted by the closure of Pakistan airspace,” he said.