Tensions Rise: amritsar airport news and Flight Disruptions
Several airlines, including Qatar Airways, Thai Airways, Vietnam Airlines, and Taiwan's China Airlines and EVA Air, have temporarily suspended or re-routed flights to and from Pakistan due to the fighting, and Pakistan has conveyed its concerns to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regarding the risks posed to civil aviation safety by India's actions.
India and Pakistan's escalating tensions have led to a significant disruption in air travel, with several airlines re-routing or cancelling flights to and from the region, affecting operations in the Middle East and South Asia.
Northern India's airspace and southern Pakistan's airspace have been cleared, but Pakistan's entire airspace was nearly empty, except for a few military flights. As of Wednesday morning, 52 flights to and from Pakistan were cancelled, and several international flights were diverted from Pakistan. Air India and other domestic carriers have cancelled flights to various cities in India, while international carriers such as Malaysian Airlines, Batik Air, and KLM have also cancelled or re-routed flights.
The suspension of all civilian flights in and out of Srinagar has left the main city deserted, with locals hiding in bunkers or fleeing the area. The move comes after India blamed Pakistan for a deadly attack in Pahalgam last month, a claim Pakistan denies. Pakistan has restored air traffic across major routes after a military confrontation with India on Tuesday night, with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) revising its notice to airmen (NOTAM) to restore air traffic in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Karachi.
The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has stated that all airports across Pakistan will remain fully operational, and the country's airspace is open and secure for civil aviation activities. However, the disruptions are expected to continue, and it is unclear when flights will resume, affecting the travel plans of thousands of passengers in the region.