Airlines around the world were forced to reroute or cancel flights on Wednesday as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following a retaliatory strike by India on Pakistani Kashmir.
In response to last month’s deadly militant attack in Indian Kashmir that left 26 dead, India launched strikes across the border, prompting Pakistan to claim it had shot down five Indian fighter jets. The heightened military action sparked regional and global aviation concerns, leading to the closure of about a dozen Indian airports and widespread disruption of commercial air travel.
United Airlines, Korean Air, and other carriers re-routed flights to avoid the conflict zone, with tracking websites showing congested airspace over Oman, the UAE, and Kuwait. Authorities in Pakistan reported that 57 international flights were in its airspace when India launched its strike.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office condemned the move, saying India’s actions endangered the lives of passengers on Gulf commercial flights. India’s civil aviation ministry has yet to respond to the accusation.
Airspace restrictions between the two countries remain in effect, with international airlines like Lufthansa avoiding Pakistani skies altogether. Domestic travel has also been hit, with 17% of Pakistan’s flights and 3% of India’s flights cancelled by mid-morning.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, cancelled 165 flights through Saturday, while other carriers such as Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air also announced cancellations. IndiGo shares dropped 1.1% amid the turmoil.
