Flight diversions across India are set to become longer and more cumbersome for passengers, following the closure of 27 airports amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.
The impact is particularly severe for flights operating between northern India and parts of the west or beyond, as several key alternate airports have now been taken off the map.
The disruption stems from Pakistan’s escalation of the current conflict with India, and the Indian Army's Operation Sindoor, targeting Pakistan and PoK-based terrorist hubs—a move that has forced almost all airlines, Indian and international, to reroute traffic via the Mumbai sector.
Read more: Airlines issue travel advisories for Indian travellers as tensions with Pakistan escalate; from IndiGo to Air India, who said what
Diversion airports become distant
The situation escalated further on Friday when 27 Indian airports, including key bases in Jammu, Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, were declared non-operational until at least Saturday morning.
With diversion options such as Rajkot now unavailable, aircraft will need to travel even further in case of unscheduled landings or emergencies.
“Now the diversion airports are more distant, like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Goa. So, in case of diversion, aircraft will have to fly for a longer distance both while headed there and then when resuming their journey to north India,” a senior pilot told TOI.
The airports currently closed include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bhatinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior, and Hindon.
The shift of air traffic to the western corridor is creating further congestion, particularly around Mumbai.
'Pakistan escalates; aircraft get farther away'
“Whenever Pakistan escalates the conflict, aircraft will get little farther away routes (from Pakistan airspace) in the Indian airspace. This will lead to slightly longer routes. But the big difference will be when an en route flight diverts to now further away airports in India,” the pilot added.
In response, Indian carriers have already repositioned aircraft and crew from the affected airports. Aircraft were ferried out without passengers, and ground staff were moved via rail to major cities like Delhi.
A senior airline official said:
“The aircraft were flown out as ferry flights (without passengers). Crew stationed there has also been brought to Delhi or other places by trains. As of now, given the way Pakistan is brazenly acting, we don't know when normalcy will return and these airports will open. So, we couldn't have had our crew stuck there.”
Also read: Delhi airport operations to remain normal amid India-Pakistan tensions; Air India, Akasa issue advisory
IndiGo, for instance, relocated four aircraft from Chandigarh, and sent its stationed crew to Delhi by train.
Meanwhile, international long-haul routes are also feeling the ripple effects. United Airlines has added a technical stop in Frankfurt on its New York (EWR) to Delhi service, citing the current operational challenges. Other carriers are also adjusting schedules and monitoring developments closely.
As airspace restrictions persist and diversion options dwindle, airlines and passengers alike are bracing for longer travel times and increased disruptions in the days ahead.
(With inputs from ToI)
The impact is particularly severe for flights operating between northern India and parts of the west or beyond, as several key alternate airports have now been taken off the map.
The disruption stems from Pakistan’s escalation of the current conflict with India, and the Indian Army's Operation Sindoor, targeting Pakistan and PoK-based terrorist hubs—a move that has forced almost all airlines, Indian and international, to reroute traffic via the Mumbai sector.
Read more: Airlines issue travel advisories for Indian travellers as tensions with Pakistan escalate; from IndiGo to Air India, who said what
Diversion airports become distant
The situation escalated further on Friday when 27 Indian airports, including key bases in Jammu, Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, were declared non-operational until at least Saturday morning.
With diversion options such as Rajkot now unavailable, aircraft will need to travel even further in case of unscheduled landings or emergencies.
“Now the diversion airports are more distant, like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Goa. So, in case of diversion, aircraft will have to fly for a longer distance both while headed there and then when resuming their journey to north India,” a senior pilot told TOI.
The airports currently closed include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bhatinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior, and Hindon.
The shift of air traffic to the western corridor is creating further congestion, particularly around Mumbai.
'Pakistan escalates; aircraft get farther away'
“Whenever Pakistan escalates the conflict, aircraft will get little farther away routes (from Pakistan airspace) in the Indian airspace. This will lead to slightly longer routes. But the big difference will be when an en route flight diverts to now further away airports in India,” the pilot added.
In response, Indian carriers have already repositioned aircraft and crew from the affected airports. Aircraft were ferried out without passengers, and ground staff were moved via rail to major cities like Delhi.
A senior airline official said:
“The aircraft were flown out as ferry flights (without passengers). Crew stationed there has also been brought to Delhi or other places by trains. As of now, given the way Pakistan is brazenly acting, we don't know when normalcy will return and these airports will open. So, we couldn't have had our crew stuck there.”
Also read: Delhi airport operations to remain normal amid India-Pakistan tensions; Air India, Akasa issue advisory
IndiGo, for instance, relocated four aircraft from Chandigarh, and sent its stationed crew to Delhi by train.
Meanwhile, international long-haul routes are also feeling the ripple effects. United Airlines has added a technical stop in Frankfurt on its New York (EWR) to Delhi service, citing the current operational challenges. Other carriers are also adjusting schedules and monitoring developments closely.
As airspace restrictions persist and diversion options dwindle, airlines and passengers alike are bracing for longer travel times and increased disruptions in the days ahead.
(With inputs from ToI)
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