NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Commercial operations at 27 airports across northern, western, and central India have been suspended until at least 5:29 AM on Saturday, May 10, as a precautionary measure amid heightened regional tensions, according to aviation industry sources.
Indian airlines cancelled 430 flights on Thursday, accounting for approximately 3% of the country's scheduled operations. Meanwhile, Pakistani carriers grounded 147 flights—17% of their daily schedule. The disruption marks a significant impact on regional air travel, as both countries restricted civilian air traffic in sensitive border zones.
Flight tracking service Flightradar24 confirmed that the airspace stretching from Kashmir to Gujarat and across Pakistan remained largely empty, with commercial aircraft avoiding the region entirely. Most international carriers also rerouted their flights, diverting traffic through alternative corridors over Mumbai and Ahmedabad to bypass Pakistani airspace.
The airports currently shut include: Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior, and Hindon. Airports that primarily handle military charters have also been temporarily closed.
The disruption follows the cancellation of around 250 flights on Wednesday. Air India reported diverting two international flights bound for Amritsar to Delhi. American Airlines also cancelled its Delhi–New York flight on Wednesday as a precaution.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation, and further updates on flight operations are expected as conditions evolve.
