Pakistan has extended an airspace ban on Indian aircraft until July 23, the Pakistan Airports Authority said on Monday, a month after the two countries agreed to a ceasefire following a military conflict.
Pakistan's previous restrictions on Indian aircraft were set to expire on June 24.
According to a new NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), the restriction bars Indian commercial airlines, India-registered aircraft, and military flights from entering Pakistani airspace.
Pakistan closed its air space for Indian airlines in a tit-for-tat move after New Delhi suspended critical Indus Water Treaty amid heightened bilateral tensions following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Following Pakistan's decision, India shut its airspace to Pakistani airlines on April 30.
Pakistan's initial restriction was extended on May 23 for another month.
The latest extension to bring the total duration of Pakistan’s airspace closure for Indian aircraft to 90 days.
On May 6-7, India launched unprovoked attacks on multiple Pakistani cities.
In response, Pakistan armed forces launched a large-scale retaliatory military action, named "Operation Bunyan-um Marsoos," and targeted several Indian military targets across multiple regions.
Financial blow to Indian airlines
According to sources, Indian airlines have suffered losses exceeding Rs8 billion in April alone. These include Rs5 billion in additional fuel costs and Rs3 billion in expenses incurred due to forced stopovers by long-haul flights, Reuters reported.
Sources note that Indian carriers operating Boeing 777 and Airbus A320 family aircraft have had to endure 2 to 4 hours of extra flying time per journey. With approximately 150 flights rerouted daily, fuel consumption has surged dramatically.
Tensions flared following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir in April, eventually triggering the worst military conflict in nearly three decades between the nuclear-armed rivals before a ceasefire was agreed on May 10.
Agencies
