Bad news for Indians travelling to Gulf countries, Europe as fight tickets to get costlier after Pahalgam terror attack, check details here
Pakistan’s airspace closure will impact major airlines such as IndiGo and Air India, which are already holding internal meetings to plan alternative routes for their international flights.
After the terrorist attack in Kashmir, India and Pakistan have taken strong measures against each other. Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian flights. In such a situation, if you have a flight to America-Europe or Western countries in the near future, then this news can prove to be useful for you. Pakistan’s decision has significantly impacted the Indian aviation industry, preventing Indian flights from flying over Pakistan.
As a result, Indian airlines must use alternative routes. These routes are longer and more expensive. The increased cost of aviation fuel has also led to higher fares, causing difficulties for both passengers and airlines.
How it will impact Indian airlines?
Pakistan’s airspace closure will impact major airlines such as IndiGo and Air India, which are already holding internal meetings to plan alternative routes for their international flights.
This decision will result in longer flight times and higher ticket prices, similar to the situation in 2019, when Indian airlines collectively lost around Rs 700 crore due to operational issues and increased fuel costs.
Ticket prices
Airfares for flights to the Gulf countries, a popular sector for Indian travelers, are expected to increase by 30%. Ticket prices for Europe and North America are also expected to rise by approximately 40%, as many flights between these continents transit through Gulf countries.
According to a Delhi airport official, over 550 flights from various Indian and foreign airlines, originating in India, cross over Pakistan daily. Out of these, about 120 flights of Indian carriers from North India will need to take an alternative route, flying over Mumbai before heading towards the Arabian Sea. From there, they will enter Muscat airspace to continue on their regular route.
What are the alternative routes?
Air India will bear the brunt of the alternative route, as it is the main operator of long-haul international flights to Western countries, including Europe and North America. Services to the Gulf countries, the UK, the US, and Canada will be affected.
In 2019, Air India’s Delhi-Chicago flights had to make refueling stops in Europe due to the extended flight times.
IndiGo, which operates a large number of flights to the Middle East, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Turkey, will also be impacted. Additionally, flights to Central Asian countries like Baku, Tbilisi, and Almaty will face delays of around 90 minutes. In 2019, IndiGo’s Delhi-Istanbul service, which used narrow-body aircraft, required refueling in Doha (DOH).
