India Extends Airspace Ban on Pakistan Airlines Till September 24

India and Pakistan airspace closures enter fifth month of restrictions

India has extended its airspace ban on Pakistani airlines and aircraft until the early morning of September 24, according to a fresh notice to airmen (NOTAM) issued late Friday. This reciprocal closure, which began in April, has now entered its fifth month, significantly impacting Indian aviation while causing minimal disruption to Pakistan.

The ban was first imposed after the April 24 Pahalgam terror attack, when Pakistan barred Indian aircraft from overflying its airspace. India responded on April 30 with a similar measure against Pakistani carriers. Since then, both countries have been renewing these closures through monthly NOTAMs. While the restrictions apply only to each other’s airlines and military flights, the airspace remains open for carriers from other nations.

For Indian aviation, the impact has been considerable. Around 800 weekly flights from Indian carriers that once relied on Pakistani airspace to reach destinations in West Asia, Europe, the UK, and North America are now taking longer alternate routes. This has led to extended flight times, higher fuel consumption, and increased crew scheduling challenges. Some routes, such as IndiGo’s services from Delhi to Almaty and Tashkent, have even been suspended due to range limitations of narrow-body aircraft.

Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air are among the Indian carriers most affected. Longer flight paths have raised operational costs significantly, putting additional pressure on the aviation sector at a time of rapid international expansion.

In contrast, the effect on Pakistan has been limited. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the country’s struggling national carrier, operates only a handful of international flights that typically crossed Indian airspace—around six flights a week connecting Kuala Lumpur with Lahore and Islamabad, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

With no sign of de-escalation between New Delhi and Islamabad, industry observers expect the restrictions to remain in place for the foreseeable future, prolonging operational challenges for Indian airlines while leaving Pakistan’s aviation sector largely unaffected.