Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has officially issued a notam (message to airmen) announcing the closure of its airspace to Indian registered airlines, following Islamabad’s decision to suspend overflow permits in response to rising tensions with New Delhi, Express News reported.
The Airspace restriction applies to all Indian registered civilian and military aircraft as well as aircraft rented or operated by Indian carriers. CAA stated that the ban will initially remain in place for a month.
“This action means that Indian Airlines is not allowed to use Pakistani airspace,” the message read. “The restriction includes both civilian and military aircraft along with rented aircraft under Indian operational control.”
The move is expected to affect Indian airlines significantly with daily bilateral overflows ranging from 70 to 100. Flights from major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Goa and Lucknow use routinely Pakistani airspace on the way to destinations in the Middle East, Europe and beyond.
Indian carriers affected by the ban include Air India, Air India Express, Indigo, Spicejet and Akasa Air. The closure adds up to two hours of flight time and results in millions of rupees in additional operating costs every day, estimates aviation analysts.
