(HT)
IndiGo on Friday said it will temporarily suspend flights to Tashkent and Almaty in Kazakhstan, citing operational challenges due to the closure of Pakistan’s airspace for Indian carriers.
The development comes a day after Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian-registered aircraft part of Islamabad’s response to India’s diplomatic curbs on Pakistan announced on Wednesday in retaliation to the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 people. The restriction, officiated by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), has severely impact flight operations of aircraft flying to western destinations from northern India.
“Due to the closure of Pakistan’s airspace, (about) 50 international routes operated by IndiGo will require longer sectors and hence may be subject to some slight schedule adjustments. With the same restrictions and limited rerouting options, unfortunately Almaty and Tashkent are outside the operational range of IndiGo’s current fleet. Hence flights to Almaty stand cancelled from April 27 until at least May 7 and to Tashkent from April 28 until May 7, 2025,” IndiGo’s statement read.
While Air India has yet to cancel or reschedule any flights, a spokesperson for the airline said that their non-stop flight North America will now take longer routes.
Experts believe that the extended flight durations and increased fuel consumption could drive up airfares by 30-40% for upcoming bookings.
