India, Pakistan extends airspace ban till this date: Here's why it was done thrice

In recent development, India extended the closure of the flights operated by Pakistani airlines until July 24, on Monday. The Indian airspace has been closed since April 30 for all the aircraft owned, operated, or leased by Pakistani airlines, including military flights. The step against Pakistan was taken by the government after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people on April 22.

According to a report by the news agency PTI, the ban was primarily supposed to end on May 24, but later it was extended till June 24. Similarly, a fresh NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) was issued on Monday, extending the closure to one more month until 24, 2025.

The NOTAM confirmed that Indian airspace will be unavailable for Pakistan-registered aircraft and aircraft operated, owned, or leased by Pakistani airlines and operators, along with their military flights. In the meantime, Pakistan has also decided to extend the closure of its airspace for Indian aircraft by another month, until July 24.

On April 23, a day after the Pahalgam attack, a diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan deteriorated resulting in announcement of several punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the only operational land border crossing at Attari, and downgrading of diplomatic ties due to cross-border links to the massacre.

A day after the Pahalgam attack, India announced several retaliatory measures against Pakistan that include, Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the only operational land border crossing at Attari, and dampening of the diplomatic ties due to the cross-border tensions.

Complexities in aircraft travelling longer durations

As per the Indian Express, both nations will keep their respective airspace, including military flights, till 5:29 am Indian time on July 24. Following the closures, around 800 flights a week of Indian airlines are being affecṭed for the aircraft travelling longer durations due to an increase in fuel burn. It has also come up with a few other complexities related to crew and flight scheduling, as well as an increase in operational costs for the carriers.

Flight tracking data indicates that several of Air India’s ultra-long-haul flights to and from North America have been making scheduled technical stops, such as for refuelling or crew changes, at European airports like Vienna and Copenhagen, disrupting what are typically non-stop services. This situation is similar to 2019, when Pakistan shut its airspace after the Indian Air Force’s Balakot strikes, forcing Air India to regularly incorporate mid-journey halts for its North American routes.

During that four-month closure of Pakistani airspace in 2019, Indian carriers reportedly incurred losses of nearly Rs 700 crore, largely due to increased fuel consumption and operational challenges arising from longer alternative routes. Air India bore the brunt of the impact, as it operated a larger number of west-bound international flights than other Indian airlines.

Now under the Tata Group, Air India is believed to have conveyed to the government that a prolonged Pakistani airspace closure could cost the airline around $600 million annually. Meanwhile, in recent years, other Indian airlines—especially IndiGo—have expanded their international services using narrow-body aircraft to reach various short- and medium-haul destinations.