If the closure continues for days or weeks, it could lead to fare hikes and scheduling chaos, said a Dubai-based ticketing agent
Flights between the UAE and India could face delays and longer routes after Pakistan announced on Thursday the immediate closure of its airspace to all Indian-owned and Indian-operated airlines. On Thursday, Air India confirmed in a statement to Khaleej Times that some of their flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East “will take an alternative extended route”.
The airspace ban follows a sharp escalation in tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi after a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam killed 26 Indian tourists earlier this week.
The move has raised concerns of disruption along one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors. Several daily flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru rely on Pakistani airspace for the most direct route. With the closure now in effect, all the Indian carriers operating in the UAE, may be forced to reroute over the Arabian Sea or via longer southern paths, potentially adding up to two hours of flying time.
Several daily flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru rely on Pakistani airspace for the most direct route. With the closure now in effect, Indian carriers operating in the UAE, including Air India, Air India Express, and IndiGo, may be forced to reroute over the Arabian Sea or via longer southern paths, potentially adding up to two hours of flying time.
Indian airlines were still assessing the full impact at the time of writing. UAE-based carriers such as Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia are not directly affected, as the ban applies only to Indian-owned and -operated airlines. However, air traffic congestion and slot rescheduling at Indian airports could create knock-on effects.
Effect on local travellers
“If the closure continues for days or weeks, it could lead to fare hikes and scheduling chaos,” said a Dubai-based ticketing agent.
Waseem Rahmani, General Manager – Sales and Holidays at Dubai-based Orient Travels, said the rerouting would primarily affect Indian carriers. “Indian travellers may face longer flight durations and slightly higher fares due to increased fuel costs,” he said. “However, Gulf carriers are unlikely to be impacted as they can continue using Pakistani airspace.”
However, Safeer Mohammed, General Manager of Smart Travels, said while flights might take longer, it was unlikely that ticket rates would go up. “In the short term, airlines may not increase the price as it has become a nation’s need for now,” he said.
According to Bharath Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels, the North Indian sector will be the most affected with the closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian airlines.
“Flights to North Indian cities are expected to be longer. Given the longer flight paths, we expect an additional 15 to 30 minutes of flying time, especially for sectors like Delhi, Amritsar, Srinagar, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Jaipur, and other eastern cities,” he said.
“While we haven’t received any official notification or circular from the airlines yet, we anticipate we may receive one soon. I don’t believe airfares will increase significantly, but there could be slight variations.”
Meanwhile Kunaal Nanik from Marcopolo Travels said that based on previous experience, he was confident that the airline partners could adapt to operational challenges with minimal disruption to passengers. “Situations like these are not uncommon in global aviation, and we trust the airlines to manage rerouting keeping passengers’ safety as top priority,” he said.
Not for the first time
This is not the first time political tensions have disrupted air travel in the region. In 2019, following the Pulwama terror attack and a subsequent military escalation, Pakistan closed its entire airspace for nearly five months. That closure affected over 400 flights a day and forced widespread rerouting, leading to longer flight durations and significantly higher fuel bills for both Indian and international airlines.
UAE travellers flying to India on Indian carriers during that period experienced average delays of 60 to 90 minutes. Some flights were suspended entirely, while others had to include additional stopovers and adjusted crew rotations.
Passengers travelling to India from the UAE in the coming days are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates and be prepared for potential delays.
Source: Khaleejtimes
