Regional Air Travel Disrupted as India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate

Dozens of flights canceled or diverted as airspace closures ripple across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe

A major escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan has triggered widespread flight cancellations, diversions, and airport closures across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, as airlines scrambled to reroute aircraft away from Pakistani airspace following India’s precision airstrikes on alleged militant targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The situation, described as the most serious standoff between the nuclear-armed neighbors in over two decades, led to a near-total shutdown of northern airspace in the Indian subcontinent. Both nations suspended operations at several key airports, while global carriers implemented emergency detours to avoid the conflict zone.

Data from flight-tracking service Flightradar24 showed extensive disruptions by Wednesday morning, with dozens of flights canceled or rerouted. Airlines from Europe, the Gulf, and Asia reported diversions over the Arabian Sea and Central Asia to steer clear of the volatile region.

In Pakistan alone, at least 52 flights were canceled in the hours following India’s strike. According to a military spokesperson, 57 international flights were airborne in Pakistani airspace when the strikes occurred. By early afternoon, only a few landings were recorded at major Pakistani airports, including one arriving flight from Abu Dhabi to Lahore.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced a partial reopening of its airspace on Thursday, though the resumption of regular operations remains uncertain. Meanwhile, India shut down 27 airports in its northern and western regions, including key hubs near the Pakistan border such as Amritsar, Jammu, and Srinagar, with closures extended until May 10.

The immediate fallout resulted in the cancellation of over 140 flights on Wednesday in India alone, with another 430 scrapped on Thursday—approximately 3% of its total daily schedule. In Pakistan, 147 flights were grounded, representing around 17% of the nation's commercial services, according to The Economic Times.

The closures affected major tourist cities in India including Shimla, Dharamsala, Ludhiana, Jodhpur, and Bikaner. Gulf-based airlines including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, and Flydubai canceled services to northern Pakistani and Indian destinations such as Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot, and Amritsar. Emirates advised passengers not to proceed to affected airports, though flights to Karachi continue to operate.

Etihad confirmed three of its Pakistan-bound flights returned to Abu Dhabi mid-air on Tuesday, with further services suspended until further notice. Flydubai resumed limited operations to Multan and Faisalabad after temporary suspensions. Qatar Airways reiterated its commitment to passenger safety, and other carriers including KLM, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Korean Air also altered routes—some adding hours to flights between Asia and Europe.

East Asian airlines such as EVA Air and China Airlines reported either flight cancellations or route adjustments involving fuel stops, affecting long-haul services to European cities like London, Frankfurt, and Milan. Korean Air adopted a more southerly route over Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Lufthansa's Delhi-Frankfurt flight was also diverted southwest, while regional airline stocks—including EVA and China Airlines—saw share prices dip amid the uncertainty.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) said it was closely monitoring the situation and raised concerns about GPS spoofing and broader operational risks in conflict zones, warning of potential aviation safety implications.

India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), formally closed northern airports including Leh, Jammu, Dharamshala, and Amritsar. Domestic airlines such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India suspended flights to these destinations, with Air India offering full refunds and rescheduling waivers to impacted travelers.

Pakistan’s civil aviation authority has closed all civilian airspace for 48 hours as a precaution, leaving the region’s aviation sector facing uncertainty amid heightened geopolitical tensions.