Global Airlines Shun Pakistan Airspace Amid India Standoff Jitters

Global carriers including Air France, Lufthansa, and Emirates are avoiding Pakistani airspace amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people — 25 from India and one foreign tourist from Nepal.

The list of affected carriers also includes British Airways and Swiss International Air Lines.

Flight tracking data indicates that some of these airlines are diverting flights toward Delhi to avoid Pakistani airspace.

Rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have disrupted operations for several major airlines, forcing them to reroute flights and incurring increased operational costs.

In response to the deadly attack, India has implemented a series of countermeasures, including closing its airspace to Pakistani airlines, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, banning Pakistani ships from Indian ports, imposing a complete and immediate ban on the import and transit of goods from Pakistan, and downgrading diplomatic ties with Islamabad.

India issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), restricting its airspace to all aircraft registered, operated, or leased by Pakistan — including commercial and military flights — from April 30 to May 23, 2025.

As a result, Pakistani carriers have been forced to reroute their flights. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), for example, has begun diverting flights bound for Southeast Asia through Chinese and Thai airspace, bypassing the previously shorter and more efficient corridor over India.

Prior to the airspace closure, PIA and other Pakistan-based airlines routinely used Indian airspace to reach Southeast Asian destinations, minimizing flight time and fuel consumption.

The closure is also expected to cause a significant loss in Pakistan’s revenue from overflight fees.

Pakistan has closed its airspace to all Indian-owned or operated aircraft.

Additionally, Pakistan’s aviation authorities have temporarily closed specific portions of airspace over Karachi and Lahore for four hours daily throughout May, citing security concerns, according to a report by ARY News.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a NOTAM announcing that designated sections within the Karachi and Lahore Flight Information Regions (FIRs) will remain closed from 4:00 AM to 8:00 AM daily, from May 1 through May 31.

According to aviation sources, “the decision was taken due to security reasons.” Officials have not disclosed further details regarding the nature of the threat or risk involved.

Despite these partial closures, the NOTAM clarified that commercial flight operations have not been suspended entirely.

Read Also: Pakistan Shuts Parts of Karachi, Lahore Airspace in May Over Security Concerns; Flights Rerouted