The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has extended airspace restrictions on Indian aircraft for another month, pushing the ban forward to December 24, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
The extension comes just days before the previous restriction was set to lapse. The latest NOTAM states the ban took effect at 2:50pm Pakistan time on November 19 and will remain in place until 4:59am on December 24.
The closure applies to all India-registered aircraft and any aircraft owned, operated or leased by Indian airlines or operators, including military flights. The restriction spans from ground level to unlimited altitude and covers both of Pakistan’s Flight Information Regions — Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR).
India and Pakistan have barred each other’s carriers from their airspace since April, following heightened tensions triggered by an attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Islamabad had previously extended the ban until November 24.
The closure has had significant operational and financial implications for Indian carriers. Air India, the country’s only major long-haul airline, has reported fuel costs rising by up to 29 percent and flight times increasing by as much as three hours on certain routes. Reuters reported that the airline has been lobbying the Indian government to seek Chinese permission to use restricted airspace over Xinjiang to shorten flight paths.
Air India estimates the airspace closure will cost it around $455 million annually — exceeding its fiscal 2024-25 loss of $439 million.
Discover more from Brackly News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
