New Delhi — In the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor, airlines canceled approximately 430 domestic flights on Thursday—nearly 3% of the country’s scheduled air traffic—as 27 airports across northern and western India remain closed through May 10.
According to flight tracking platform Flightradar24, airspace over Pakistan and India’s western corridor—from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat—was largely void of civilian aircraft, with airlines avoiding the sensitive airspace.
The airports impacted 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.
The disruption follows Wednesday’s cancellation of over 300 flights and the suspension of operations at 21 airports amid heightened military readiness and security protocols.
Air India acknowledged the disruption in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that customer support lines were overwhelmed with inquiries. The airline is offering full refunds and a one-time rescheduling waiver for tickets on impacted flights through May 10. It also extended full refunds and rescheduling waivers for military personnel with bookings through May 31, citing appreciation for the armed forces’ service.
IndiGo also announced service disruptions to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, and Dharamsala. The airline is waiving change and cancellation fees for affected passengers traveling to or from Srinagar through May 22, for bookings made before April 22.
SpiceJet confirmed flight suspensions to and from Dharamsala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar until further notice. Akasa Air issued a general travel advisory but did not specify affected routes.
With airspace restrictions and ground closures still in effect, airlines continue to monitor the situation, offering flexible travel options and customer support as regional tensions unfold. (Source: IANS)
