Airlines in India, including Air India and IndiGo, are preparing for increased fuel expenses and extended travel durations as they adjust international flight routes after Pakistan closed its airspace to them due to rising tensions following a violent attack in Kashmir.
India has attributed the recent attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals in the Pahalgam region of Indian-administered Kashmir, to elements linked to Pakistan. Pakistan, however, has denied any connection to the incident.
In response to the escalating conflict, both nations have implemented various countermeasures, including India suspending a significant water-sharing agreement.
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International carriers are not impacted by this airspace restriction.
Starting late Thursday, Air India and IndiGo initiated the rerouting of flights to destinations such as New York, Azerbaijan, and Dubai, all of which typically transit through Pakistan airspace, according to data from flight tracking service Flightradar24.
The most affected airport is likely to be New Delhi, one of the busiest air travel hubs worldwide, where many flights to the West and the Middle East would ordinarily cross into Pakistani airspace.
Data from Cirium Ascend indicates that IndiGo and Air India, along with its budget branch Air India Express, have approximately 1,200 scheduled flights from New Delhi to locations in Europe, the Middle East, and North America throughout April.
Flights from Air India to Middle Eastern destinations from New Delhi are expected to experience an additional hour of travel time, leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced cargo capabilities, according to an unnamed aviation executive.
Typically, aircraft fuel and oil expenses represent about 30% of an airline’s operating costs, making it the most significant cost component.
Cancellations and Modifications to Flights
IndiGo announced that approximately 50 international routes may require slight modifications. Additionally, it confirmed the cancellation of flights to Almaty from April 27 until at least May 7 and to Tashkent from April 28 until May 7.
The expansion plans of Indian airlines are already facing challenges due to delays in aircraft deliveries from Boeing and Airbus.
According to an Indian airline pilot, the airspace ban will necessitate a reevaluation of allowable flight hours, requiring adjustments to crew and pilot scheduling.
Another executive reported that airline staff worked late into the night on Thursday to assess the implications of the airspace closure.
Both individuals requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
For instance, IndiGo flight 6E1803 from New Delhi to Baku on Thursday took 5 hours and 43 minutes via an alternative route that diverted southwest over India’s Gujarat state and then over the Arabian Sea before continuing north over Iran to Azerbaijan. The same route through Pakistan airspace took just 5 hours and 5 minutes the day before.
Pakistan’s airspace ban is set to remain in effect until May 23.
In 2019, the Indian government estimated that the five-month closure of Pakistani airspace resulted in losses exceeding $64 million for Air India, IndiGo, and other airlines.