Airlines submit their inputs on airspace closure impact to civil aviation ministry

New Delhi: Indian airlines have submitted their inputs on the impact of the Pakistan airspace closure to the civil aviation ministry, which is assessing the situation and looking at possible solutions to address the resultant challenges, according to sources.

The ministry, recently, held a meeting with various airlines to discuss about the Pakistan airspace closure and sought their inputs on the fallout and suggestions to deal with the situation.

Airlines, including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, have given their inputs and suggestions to the ministry, the sources in the know said on Thursday.

The sources said Air India has estimated that the additional expenses in case the airspace closure is in place for a year would be around USD 600 million and has suggested about some kind of financial assistance to tackle the situation.

The airline is looking at various mitigating measures, including alternative routes, that will help reduce the costs, one of the sources said.

Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa Air have international operations.

There was no official comments from the airlines.

On April 28, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the ministry was assessing the situation arising out of the Pakistan airspace closure and that it was working with airlines for solutions.

Aspects related to airlines as well as passengers, including possible increase in airfares due to higher operational costs, against the backdrop of the airspace closure are being assessed by the ministry.

The additional weekly expenses are likely to be Rs 77 crore for international flights operated from north Indian cities as the airspace curbs result in increased fuel consumption and longer flight durations.

An analysis of the number of overseas flights and back of the envelope calculations based on increased flight time as well as approximate expenses by PTI showed that the additional monthly operational costs for the Indian airlines could be over Rs 306 crore.

On April 24, Pakistan barred Indian airlines from using its airspace for overflying while India banned Pakistan carriers from using the Indian airspace on April 30.

The moves came in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists.