More than 200 flights canceled, 18 airports closed in India amid tensions with Pakistan

Air traffic through northern and western India was severely disrupted on Wednesday after more than 200 flights were canceled and 18 airports were temporarily shut down, the Hindustan Times reports, UNN writes.

Details

The disruption occurred after Indian armed forces launched targeted missile strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Kashmir this morning. The airstrikes, which are part of India's "Operation Sindur," were reportedly carried out in response to a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.

Due to security measures and airspace restrictions, major airports, including Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shimla, Dharamshala and Jamnagar, were closed to operations, the PTI news agency reports.

The most affected airline was IndiGo, which canceled a total of 165 flights. An airline representative said: "Due to the government's announcement of airspace restrictions, more than 165 IndiGo flights from several airports... have been canceled until 05:29 IST on May 10, 2025."

Air India also suspended flights to and from several cities, including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh and Amritsar. The airline confirmed: "Air India flights to and from the following destinations... are canceled until 05:29 IST on May 10 following a notice from aviation authorities of the closure of these airports."

IndiGo and Air India are offering waivers of flight change fees or full refunds to affected passengers.

SpiceJet confirmed on social media that airports in northern India, including Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar and Amritsar, are closed until further notice. It added: "Departures, arrivals and subsequent flights may be disrupted."

Akasa Air and regional carrier Star Air have also canceled their flights to several destinations, especially in the north. Air India Express also announced the cancellation of several flights, saying: "Several flights in our network have been affected... until noon."

What about Delhi Airport

At Delhi Airport, the busiest in the country, at least 35 flights have been canceled from the north. These include 23 domestic departures, eight arrivals and four international flights.

Foreign carriers, including American Airlines and Qatar Airways, have also suspended some operations. Qatar Airways said it had temporarily suspended flights to Pakistan due to the closure of Pakistani airspace.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which operates Indira Gandhi International Airport, acknowledged the impact, saying: "Please note that due to changing airspace conditions, some flights have affected Delhi Airport."

Dozens of international flights diverted

Flight tracking images obtained by Reuters showed that the northwestern sky over India and the entire airspace of Pakistan were almost empty of commercial aircraft, with only a few flights still visible.

More than 25 international flights have been diverted to bypass Pakistani airspace after Indian forces launched missile strikes on facilities across the border, Reuters news agency reported.

As of Wednesday morning, airlines had canceled 52 flights to or from Pakistan, according to global flight tracking service FlightRadar24, the report said.

Several international carriers have suspended routes over Pakistan as a precaution. A spokesman for Dutch airline KLM confirmed that it would not fly over Pakistan until further notice. Singapore Airlines also said it had stopped using Pakistani airspace from May 6.

Training in India

Meanwhile, in India on Wednesday, May 7, mass drills are planned in 244 locations as part of a nationwide readiness exercise.

The exercises, called Operation Abhyas, are being conducted in response to rising political tensions and increased threats, including the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ordered the exercises to test readiness for a possible Indo-Pakistani war scenario.

This exercise will simulate air raids, blackouts, evacuations and emergency rescue operations in 244 districts. The goal is to prepare citizens and authorities for potential military situations and external attacks.

Sirens, blackouts and evacuation protocols are being implemented at all levels - from large cities to villages - to ensure the country's readiness.