Overview

• Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines on April 24, citing a retaliatory measure following the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
• Indian carriers like Air India and IndiGo have rerouted westbound flights, adding refueling stops in cities like Copenhagen and Vienna, and suspending routes to Almaty and Tashkent.
• Flights to Europe and North America now take 2 to 2.5 hours longer, increasing fuel costs, crew hours, and operational expenses for Indian airlines.
• Pakistan stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars annually in overflight fees, a critical revenue source for its Civil Aviation Authority and national carrier PIA.
• The situation mirrors a similar airspace closure in 2019, which cost Pakistan nearly $100 million and Indian carriers over ₹7 billion.