The well-documented tensions between India and Pakistan are once again impacting aviation. At the moment, several major airlines choose to avoid Pakistani airspace.
Since Monday, international carriers including Air France and Lufthansa have been rerouting flights to bypass Pakistan’s airspace. This is in response to the ongoing strain in relations with India. This latest move is triggered by the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India, in April. The incident has further heightened the already volatile situation between the two nuclear-armed nations.
Pakistan previously kept its airspace open to foreign airlines, even after India closed its airspace to Pakistani aircraft following the April attack, and vice versa. Yet, a growing number of airline groups are now proactively opting for alternative routes as a precautionary measure.
Multiple Carriers Affected
The Lufthansa Group confirmed to Reuters that its airlines would be ‘avoiding Pakistani airspace until further notice.’ The group stated that this will result in longer flight times for some routes to Asia and emphasized that they are closely monitoring the situation. Air France also announced a temporary cessation of flights over Pakistan. The airline cited the ‘recent evolution of tensions between India and Pakistan.’
Flights to destinations such as Delhi, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City are being adjusted, leading to increased travel durations. Flight data indicates that some connections from Western Europe to New Delhi are now taking almost an hour longer due to the diversions.
Flight tracking data also reveals that airlines like British Airways, Swiss, and Emirates are choosing to steer clear of Pakistan. Flights appear to be turning north towards Delhi only after reaching the Gulf of Kutch, following a trajectory over the Arabian Sea. Neither British Airways nor Emirates has yet issued a public statement on the matter.
Financial Implications for Pakistan
These rerouting measures not only impact travel times and increase fuel costs for the affected airlines, but also result in a loss of revenue for Pakistan from overflight fees. These fees can amount to several hundred thousand dollars daily, representing a significant loss for a country with approximately $10.2 billion in foreign reserves – enough to cover about two months of imports.