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The recent mass shooting in Kashmir has led to significant repercussions in the aviation sector. Pakistan has temporarily prohibited Indian airlines from flying over its airspace, a ban set to conclude on May 23. This restriction has resulted in longer flight routes, increased fuel consumption, and higher operating costs for affected airlines.
Air India operates as a full-service carrier with a hub at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, which was founded in 1946. Due to the extended flight paths, several Air India flights to the US and Canada have been stopping in Copenhagen or Vienna to refuel and possibly change crew. These Air India routes, which usually operate nonstop, now include temporary European stopovers, significantly increasing travel time. For example, the San Francisco to Delhi flight recently took over 18 hours instead of the usual time.
Air India has continued to schedule its long-haul flights according to their usual frequency, with some adjustments for additional stops. The adjustments include stops in Europe for various routes such as Delhi to Toronto, San Francisco, New York JFK, Chicago O'Hare, Vancouver, Mumbai to New York JFK, Newark, Washington Dulles, and Bengaluru. Although these diversions were planned due to the airspace restrictions, they noticeably affect flight operations and logistics.
