Border state airports shut after Indian armed forces strike terror camps in Pakistan

New Delhi: At least 18 airports, mainly in states bordering Pakistan, were temporarily shut and at least 300 flights cancelled on Wednesday owing to airspace restrictions till May 10, after armed forces launched strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation to the Pahalgam attack.

The airports on northern and western parts of the country that were shut include Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shimla, Dharamshala and Jamnagar. Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, Akasa Air have announced cancellation of their flights to various locations.

Foreign carriers like American Airlines have cancelled some of their services from Delhi airport while Qatar Airways, in a post on X, said it has temporarily suspended flights to Pakistan due to the airspace closure there.

IndiGo said it has cancelled at least 165 flights from various domestic airports – Amritsar, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Gwalior, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Leh, Rajkot, and Srinagar – till 5:29 AM on May 10 due to airspace restrictions. Delhi airport said around 140 flights were cancelled.

Flightradar, a flight tracking website, said 430 flights were cancelled in India and 147 in Pakistan.

The airline, which operates around 2,200 flights daily, also told passengers that those whose flights are affected can reschedule the booking on the next available flight or opt to cancel their bookings at no additional cost and a full refund will be processed.

Air India’s flights to Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot have also been cancelled till May 10 with the airline offering those holding valid tickets for travel a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges or a full refund on cancellation.

IndiGo said flights to/from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, and Jodhpur stand cancelled for the day. “We are anticipating changes in flight schedules across our network and sincerely advise all customers to stay updated on their flight status before heading to the airport,” IndiGo posted on 'X'.

Air India Express said that in keeping with prevailing restrictions, multiple flights on its network are impacted, including cancellation of flights to and from Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar and Hindon, till mid-day.

SpiceJet said, “due to the ongoing situation, airports in parts of northern India, including Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar and Amritsar are closed until further notice. Departures, arrivals, and consequential flights may be impacted.” It also said affected passengers can opt for a full refund or an alternate flight as per availability.

“Due to the prevailing situation in the region, Srinagar airport has been closed for civil operations. As a result, our flights to and from Srinagar have been cancelled," Akasa Air posted on X. Star Air said its flights to/from Nanded, Hindon, Adampur, Kishangarh and Bhuj were cancelled for the day.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said some flights have been impacted at Delhi airport due to changing airspace conditions.

It said there are adequate arrangements for food and beverages across all terminals. “Rest assured, all stakeholders are actively working to ensure the comfort and well-being of all passengers. We remain committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety and efficiency at Delhi Airport,” it said.