UAE- India travel: Air India, IndiGo flights to face delays due to Pakistan airspace closure

New Delhi: Leading Indian carriers flying to and from the UAE will face delays and have extended flying times following Pakistan's decisions to close its airspace to Indian carriers.

India’s flag carrier, Air India, announced Thursday that several of its international flights to and from the Middle East, North America, the UK, and Europe, may face delays or be forced to take extended routes following Pakistan’s decision to close its airspace to Indian carriers. 

Air India said in a statement, “Due to the announced restriction of Pakistan airspace for all Indian airlines, it is expected that some Air India flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route.” 

It said, “Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen airspace closure outside our control. We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority.” 

India's biggest carrier by market share - IndiGo - will also face similar issues, it confirmed in a statement. The incident comes two days after gunmen fired shots at unarmed citizens visiting Kashmir's Pahalgham, killing 26 tourists.

"Due to Pakistan's sudden announcement of air space closure, a few of our international flights are being impacted. We understand the inconvenience this may cause and our teams are doing their best to help you reach your destination at the earliest," IndiGo said.

The airline has encouraged passengers to check the latest flight status, and is offering fliers flexible rebooking options, or refund claims, in case they would like to cancel their trips.

"We deeply value your patience and understanding, and remain committed to supporting our fellow citizens during these challenging times," the airline said.

Will airfares rise?

Indian carriers faced a similar situation for about five months in 2019 after the Pulwama terror attack.

Travel agents in the UAE confirmed the news, and said that UAE travellers may have to face longer flight times due to the airspace closures. "This has happened in 2019. At this point, passengers do not have to worry about airfares rising due to this issue," said Raheesh Babu, COO of Musafir.com.

"Flights, particularly to cities in North and North-West India such as Delhi, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad, located in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan that share land borders closer to Pakistan, may need to route further south over the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal," said a travel expert.

"Although these longer routes will consume more fuel and time, there are indications that airline ticket prices are not expected to increase as a result," the expert said.