Pakistan extends airspace closure on Indian flights until June 24, issues fresh NOTAM

India and Pakistan have both extended their mutual airspace bans, preventing each other’s airlines from operating within their respective territories, according to separate statements issued by the countries on Friday. 

As per a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) released by India’s Civil Aviation ministry on Friday, aircraft registered in Pakistan—including those owned, operated, or leased by Pakistani airlines or operators — are barred from entering Indian airspace until June 23. The restriction also applies to Pakistani military aircraft, the notice stated.

Around an hour back, Pakistan extended the ban on its airspace for Indian aircraft and carriers for an additional month. The ban will now end in the early morning of June 24.

This information was officially confirmed through a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by Pakistan’s aviation authorities on Friday. The initial restriction, put into effect on April 24 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and deteriorating diplomatic relations, had restricted Indian aircraft and operators from utilizing Pakistani airspace.

Originally set to expire at 5:29 am IST on May 24, a revised NOTAM with the same terms was issued on May 23, extending the restriction until 5:29 am IST on June 24. In a reciprocal action, India also closed its airspace to Pakistani aircraft and airlines on April 30.

Earlier in the day, Indian aviation regulatory authority DGCA stated that during an IndiGo flight from New Delhi to Srinagar on Wednesday, the flight crew had requested permission to enter Pakistani airspace in order to avoid turbulence. However, their request was denied.

In a detailed statement released by DGCA, it was confirmed that no passengers were injured during the incident and that the aircraft’s “nose radome” suffered damage.

DGCA is currently investigating the incident of turbulence encountered by the aircraft.

On Wednesday, IndiGo’s A321 neo aircraft operating flight 6E 2142 experienced hailstorm and severe turbulence near Pathankot.

According to the crew’s report, they sought approval from Northern control (IAF) to deviate left towards the International Border due to adverse weather conditions along their route, but their request was declined.

Subsequently, the crew contacted Lahore to request permission to enter Pakistani airspace to avoid the weather, but this request was also rejected, as stated by DGCA.

As per the regulator’s report, the crew made an initial attempt to return, but ultimately decided to proceed through the thunderstorm cloud when they were near it. This decision led them into a hailstorm and severe turbulence. The crew opted to maintain their course towards Srinagar in order to exit the adverse weather conditions quickly. According to a report by PTI on Thursday, the Lahore ATC denied the flight pilot’s request to use Pakistani airspace in order to avoid turbulence.

Around 800 flights a week of Indian airlines are being impacted by longer flight times, increased fuel burn, and a few other complexities related to crew and flight scheduling, all of which are increasing operational costs for the carriers.

As per reports, in 2019, the closure of Pakistan’s airspace for more than four months resulted in significant financial losses for Indian airlines, amounting to an estimated Rs 700 crore. The increased fuel expenses and operational challenges caused by longer flight routes led to these losses. Among Indian carriers, Air India suffered the most, as it operated a higher number of west-bound international flights compared to its competitors.