So Here's Why Major Airlines are Steering Clear of Pakistani Skies
Airlines Worldwide Adjust Routes to Circumvent Pakistani Airspace During Increased Tension
The skies over Pakistan have become a no-fly zone for leading global airlines such as Air France and Lufthansa. The cause? Rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
After a Pakistan-backed terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that left 26 dead, these airlines have taken the precautionary measure of suspending flights over Pakistani airspace.
Air France, in a statement, explained that due to the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, they have decided to suspend overflight of Pakistan until further notice. Lufthansa echoed similar sentiments, stating that their aircraft are avoiding Pakistani airspace until further notice.
Data from flight tracking shows that international airlines are taking longer, more circuitous routes to avoid potential danger in Pakistani skies. Similarly, major players like British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines, and Emirates are also shifting courses, despite the higher fuel burn.
The economic fallout of this decision is not spared either. Pakistan’s earnings from overflight fees stand to take a hit as airlines actively reroute their flights.
Local Indian carriers like Air India and IndiGo have already diverted their international flights to take an alternative extended route, following Pakistan’s closure of its airspace for India amidst heightened diplomatic tensions.
IndiGo’s international routes now require longer sectors and are subject to schedule adjustments due to the need to avoid Pakistan airspace. IndiGo has also had to cancel flights to Almaty and Tashkent as these destinations are now outside their current fleet's operational range.
Air India, meanwhile, has announced that its flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route, which will entail longer flying times and higher fuel costs.
In summary, the escalated tensions between India and Pakistan have made Pakistani airspace a risky venture for international airlines, leading to rerouted flights, increased fuel costs, cancellations, and stranded passengers. The situation is fluid and evolving, with the potential for further disruptions if the conflict persists or worsens.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by our website staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Inside Info:
- The decision by major airlines to avoid Pakistani airspace comes amidst a backdrop of escalating military tensions. In early May 2025, tensions between India and Pakistan reached a critical point following a series of missile strikes and drone attacks, particularly in the disputed Kashmir region. These actions have raised significant safety concerns for civil aviation at all altitudes, especially in the northern sectors of Pakistan’s airspace, such as the Lahore FIR (OPLR).
- Both Indian and Pakistani authorities temporarily closed several airports and airways, leading to a near-total halt in civilian overflights through the area. The unpredictability of further escalation and the risk of inadvertent targeting have forced most major airlines to proactively avoid Pakistan’s airspace altogether. Several governments and aviation authorities, including France, have issued warnings advising against overflights in the region due to the heightened risk of military activity. Even though Pakistan has not officially closed its entire airspace, airlines perceive the risk as too high and are choosing to reroute flights rather than risk exposure to potential hostilities.
- The conflict has resulted in widespread disruptions to air travel networks, with increased flight times and costs, cancellations, delays, and operational complexities. There is even a possibility that Pakistan could impose a full airspace closure, as it did from February to August 2019 under similar circumstances, which would have even more severe implications for global air travel, forcing more extensive reroutings and further increasing costs and delays for both airlines and passengers.
- The recent military tensions between India and Pakistan have made Pakistan's airspace a risky proposition for many airlines, prompting them to reroute their flights to avoid potential dangers.
- The heightened safety concerns are not limited to the northern sectors of Pakistan’s airspace, as evidenced by warnings issued by several governments and aviation authorities, including France, advising against overflights in the region.
- The escalation of war-and-conflicts between these nations could potentially lead to a full airspace closure by Pakistan, similar to the one that occurred from February to August 2019, which would have far-reaching implications on global air travel, causing further delays, cancellations, and reroutings.
- Apart from the aviation industry, this conflict has ripple effects on other sectors such as finance, with airlines facing increased fuel costs, and general-news outlets reporting on the political and crime-and-justice implications of the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.
