In late April 2025, escalating tensions between India and Pakistan spilled into the skies, as both countries issued reciprocal airspace bans. What started with Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian aircraft on April 24 was swiftly followed by India prohibiting Pakistani aircraft from entering its airspace just days later. The result: drastically altered flight paths, significant increases in flight time, and growing logistical headaches for both regional and international carriers. Whilst some non Indian and Pakistani-registered carriers initially continued using the airspace, direct military action taken by India on May 7 has compelled most airlines to avoid Pakistan altogether.
Air India is still taking the long way home
International routes operated by Air India (AI/AIC) continue to be amongst the most directly impacted by the developing situation, rerouting most of its transatlantic services, adding both distance and complexity to operations. Routes to North America, which once passed efficiently over Pakistan and into Central Asia, must now divert south and west before looping back north, necessitating fuel stops en route. Air India has designated Vienna (VIE) and Copenhagen (CPH) as primary refuelling points.
Some flights are doubling their flight times
Whilst long-haul services grab the headlines, shorter regional flights operated by Indian and Pakistani airlines have also been dramatically affected.
The IndiGo (6E/IGO) service between Tashkent (TAS) and Delhi (DEL), flight 6E1806 previously enjoyed a direct routing over Pakistan, resulting in a quick 2 hour 18 minute hop. Post-ban, the flight must detour over Iran and Turkmenistan, clocking in at around 5 hours and 30 minutes – over double the original flight time.
Another similar example is Indigo flight 6E1801. This flight from Delhi (DEL) to Almaty (ALA) had an average flight time of 2 hours and 58 minutes. This has increased to around 5 hours and 45 minutes thanks to rerouting via Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Both of these routes are operated by Indigo’s Airbus A320neo fleet.
Looking at Pakistani-registered airlines – more notable examples include PK894, a service from Islamabad (ISB) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and PK898, a scheduled flight from Lahore (LHE) to Kuala Lumpur. PK894 had an average flight time of 5 hours 39 minutes before the airspace closures. Recent flights on this route have taken up to 8 hours 19 minutes. The flight from Lahore to Kuala Lumpur now takes up to 8 hours and 56 minutes, compared to a previous average flight time of 5 hours Both of these routes are operated by the Pakistan International Airlines (PK/PIA) Boeing 777-240(ER).
Bilateral issues, international impact
The situation has also affected European airlines. British Airways (BA/BAW), Air France (AF/AFR), and Swiss International Airlines (LX/SWR) have all made routing changes since April 30 to avoid crossing into Pakistan. NOTAMs issued for northern Pakistan have rendered key airways unusable until at least the end of May. These disruptions have caused wide-reaching adjustments to flight paths, with aircraft from these carriers weaving around the affected region, often flying hundreds of miles out of the way.
BA257’s journey from London Heathrow (LHR) to Delhi now involves a Southern re-route via Iraq and the Arabian Sea to avoid Pakistani airspace. Flight times on this route have reached up to 9 hours 33 minutes. Prior to rerouting, this route saw an average flight time of 7 hours 45 minutes. This flight is operated by the Airbus A350-1041.
Air France’s flight AF225 from Delhi to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) originally operated with an average flight time of 8 hours and 40 minutes. These flights are typically now taking around 1 hour longer thanks to its new Southerly reroute. This flight is typically operated by the carrier’s Boeing 777-228(ER).
Which airlines are still using Pakistan’s airspace?
In addition to Pakistani-registered operators, some international airlines have elected to continue use of Pakistani airspace for the time being. The most notable is Etihad Airways (EY/ETD), most of whom’s flights bound from the United Arab Emirates to East Asia continue to use the airspace. Such examples include EY823 and EY889, operating flights to Abu Dhabi (AUH) from Seoul (ICN) and Beijing (PKX) respectively.
The situation between India and Pakistan is evolving, and the duration of its impact on air travel remains unclear. Flightradar24 will monitor and update on these impacts as they develop.
6 Responses
It’s so crazy thar flight from China can’t enter India’s airspace while flights thar directed to India can’t enter Pakistan airspace like in Ukraine, none of directed airlines can enter Ukrainian airspace
Thank you for the update… lets hope these two will sort their conflict out sooner rather than later
Please, kindly let the war Between India and Pakistan be over.
My British Airways flight BA0138 is on June 20, 2025 from Mumbai to London . Please update
If the industry stopped flying all together to India and Pakistan…I mean a total stoppage in arrivals,it would definitely impact both governments pockets.This of course would bring back much needed air routes
SIN-LHR affected at all?