India strikes on Pakistan: Over 200 flights cancelled, 18 airports shut after 'Operation Sindoor'

New Delhi: Flight operations across northern and western India were severely disrupted on Wednesday amid heightened security, after Indian armed forces launched missile strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir under 'Operation Sindoor'.

As a precaution, at least 18 airports were temporarily closed and more than 200 flights were cancelled, according to sources cited by PTI and various media outlets.

Airports in key cities — including Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jammu, and Dharamshala — were shut for civil operations. Airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Air India Express either suspended or rerouted flights due to restricted airspace.

Other affected airports include Jodhpur, Jamnagar, Pathankot, Bhuj, Rajkot, and Shimla. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport also reported delays and cancellations, though it remained operational.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, cancelled more than 165 domestic flights. Services to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Jodhpur, and Bikaner have been suspended until 5:29 am IST on May 10, in line with aviation authority directives. Flights to Gwalior were also impacted.

“Due to the developing situation and NOTAMs issued for restricted airspace, operations to and from several northern cities are impacted today,” the airline said in a statement. Passengers were advised to check flight status and were offered free rescheduling or full refunds.

Air India also cancelled all flights to and from nine airports, including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, Jodhpur, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot, until May 10, 5:29 am IST.

Passengers holding valid tickets during this period are eligible for a one-time rescheduling waiver or full refund. Air India re-routed two international flights bound for Amritsar to Delhi. Its low-cost arm, Air India Express, cancelled flights to and from Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar, and Hindon until Wednesday afternoon.

SpiceJet suspended operations to and from airports in Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, Amritsar, Kangra, and Kandla. Passengers affected by the cancellations can request a refund or opt for alternate flights.

Akasa Air halted its services to Srinagar, citing a complete shutdown of civil operations at the airport.

Alliance Air also announced cancellations for flights in and out of Amritsar, Bhuj, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, and Shimla for the day, urging passengers to stay updated on flight statuses.

According to Flightradar24, a noticeable absence of civil aircraft was observed north of Delhi and across parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Several foreign airlines, including American Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Finnair, Saudia, Air Arabia, and Mahan Air, either rerouted or suspended services due to the evolving situation.

Qatar Airways also suspended flights to Pakistan, citing the closure of Pakistani airspace following the Indian strikes.

The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by aviation authorities has restricted operations in several regions until 5:29 am IST on May 10. According to an official from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), partial operations may resume in some locations by Thursday evening, depending on security clearances.

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) warned of potential delays and cancellations due to “changing airspace conditions.”

As per PTI and media reports, the following airports have been temporarily shut for civil operations:

Civilian operations at Bhuj and Rajkot will remain suspended until May 10, as per government orders.