Pakistan will extend the closure of its airspace for Indian aircraft by another month, according to a report by The News International on Sunday, citing sources. It is expected that Pakistan will announce the extension next week.
Besides, according another report by the Geo News, tensions escalated last month after an armed attack in Pahalgam, India. In response, India closed its airspace to Pakistan on April 23 for one month.
The very next day, Pakistan retaliated with a similar move. The airspace restrictions have significantly impacted India.
Senior officials in Islamabad informed The News that the conditions that prompted Pakistan to take this step have not improved, and a formal decision will be announced accordingly. Before the current airspace closure period ends, the aviation department is expected to issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
The sources also stated that under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations, no member state can close its airspace for more than one month at a time.
Earlier this month, relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors deteriorated further following more than three days of military clashes.
After the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, Pakistan's National Security Committee held a meeting and decided to close its airspace to Indian flights starting from April 24. The restrictions, effective until May 23, apply to both commercial and military aircraft.
The closure of Pakistan's airspace has disrupted hundreds of Indian flights, increased fuel and transportation costs, and forced long-haul carriers to make expensive refueling stops mid-journey.
Before the closure, around 200 to 300 Indian flights crossed Pakistan's airspace daily, connecting major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar, and Ahmedabad to Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
On the other hand, Pakistan is comparatively less affected, with only one eastbound flight impacted. Since Pakistan has already significantly reduced its operations to the Far East, the impact on Pakistan's own flights remains minimal.
Within hours of the closure, several Indian aircraft were forced to take costly detours. An Air India flight from Toronto to Delhi had to land in Copenhagen for refueling, while flights from Paris and London made unplanned stops in Abu Dhabi.
This is not the first time Pakistan has closed its airspace to India. Similar restrictions were imposed during the Kargil conflict in 1999 and again after the Pulwama attack in 2019. In both instances, the consequences were far more severe for India than for Pakistan.