2025 Pakistani airspace closure

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On 22 April 2025, Pakistani militias shot and killed 26 people in Baisaran Valley in now what is known as the Pahalgam attack.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-23 |title=What is The Resistance Front, the group that said it attacked tourists in Indian Kashmir's Pahalgam? {{!}} Reuters |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423124810/https://www.reuters.com/world/india/kashmir-resistance-group-that-claimed-attack-tourists-indian-kashmir-2025-04-23/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=web.archive.org}}{{Cite web |date=2025-05-03 |title=India and Pakistan face conflict again - how did they de-escalate in the past? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4wk22vk4zo |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}} In response to this action by the militias Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Tabia, India suspended the Indus water treaty.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-07 |title=India to stop water flowing across international borders, Modi says |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9l9qwyv23o |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}

In response to India's actions, Pakistan closed its airspace to all Indian carriers (eg. Air India, Indigo, etc.) and suspended trade considering their suspension of the water treaty as an "act of war".{{Cite news |last=Laskar |first=Rezaul H |date=April 24, 2025 |title=‘Act of war’: Pakistan closes airspace to Indian airlines, suspends all trade |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/act-of-war-pakistan-closes-airspace-to-indian-airlines-suspends-all-trade-101745495389616.html |url-status=live |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=May 16, 2025 |work=Hindustan Times |pages=1}}

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Many Indian air carriers like Air India and IndiGo have been drastically affected on their international routes. IndiGo has had flight time to Central Asian destinations increase by 3 hours or more.{{Cite web |last=Lomas |first=Chris |date=2025-05-07 |title=Costly diversions and delays continue to hit airlines around Indian and Pakistani airspace |url=https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/aviation-news/costly-diversions-and-delays-continue-to-hit-airlines-around-indian-and-pakistani-airspace/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Flightradar24 Blog |language=en-US}} Air India has had to divert most North American-bound flights to Vienna or Copenhagen in order to refuel their aircraft so that they can continue their flight.{{Cite web |last=Maszczynski |first=Mateusz |date=2025-04-28 |title=Air India Turns Vienna Into a Gas Station Amid Pakistan Airspace Shutdown |url=https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2025/04/28/air-india-turns-vienna-into-a-gas-station-amid-pakistan-airspace-shutdown/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=PYOK |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Pitrelli |first=Monica |date=2025-04-28 |title=Indian airlines can't fly over Pakistan. Here's how that is affecting flights |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/28/pakistan-closure-of-air-space-to-indian-airlines-may-not-increase-costs.html |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=CNBC |language=en}}

SpiceJet flights from North India have also added a few hours of flight time on due to the airspace closure including their Dubai-Delhi route.{{Cite web |last=Bhutia |first=Peden Doma |date=2025-05-07 |title=India-Pakistan: Airports Shut and Over 200 Flights Canceled |url=https://skift.com/2025/05/07/india-pakistan-airports-shut-and-over-200-flights-canceled/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Skift |language=en-US}}

IndiGo flights to Tashkent, Uzbekistan have added 3 more hours to their route as they go around Pakistani airspace into Central Asia. IndiGo has canceled all of its operations to Almaty, Kazakhstan since 25 April.

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On 7 May 2025, Pakistan closed its airspace to all air carriers including its own Pakistan International Airlines. Many international carriers like British Airways and Air France had their flights to and from South Asia and Australia planned to avoid Pakistani airspace.{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Shuts Down Airspace, Plans To Hit Back After India's Precision Strikes |url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/pakistan-shuts-down-airspace-plans-to-hit-back-after-indias-precision-strikes-8354174 |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=NDTV |language=en}}

Pakistan did end up re-opening up their airspace to non-Indian air carriers on 8 May, the day after it had been closed.{{Cite web |last=Asghar |first=Mohammad |date=2025-05-08 |title=Pakistan reopens airspace; India closes 21 airports |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1909304 |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

On 9 May, Pakistan let civilian aircraft through Pakistan as a distraction to let in 300-400 drones into Northern India, according to the government.{{Cite news |last=Ellis-Petersen |first=Hannah |last2=Hassan |first2=Aakash |date=2025-05-09 |title=Pakistan accused of launching fresh wave of drone strikes on India |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/09/india-accuses-pakistan-drones-attack-cities-bases |access-date=2025-05-17 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

• Pakistan Portal
• [https://www.piac.com.pk/ Pakistan International Airlines]

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