Flights disrupted in North as Pak-India tension escalates post Op Sindoor

A day after India launched Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam attack, the operations pertaining to commercial flights have been halted at multiple airports. The airports that are shortlisted are either housing important Indian Air Force bases or are close to the international borders.

Earlier, India had imposed several air space restrictions in the wake of the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan post the killings of 26 tourists in Pahalgam on April 22.

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Among the airports that are shut down to commercial operations include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Gwalior, Rajkot, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Dharamshala, Bathinda, Shimla, Hindon, Kishangarh, and Kandla.

In the wake of the closure, several domestic and international flights were also cancelled by the flight operators. As per the reports, the Indian Air Force has taken control over the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Chandigarh and Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar, and cancelled the civilian flights under further notice. On Wednesday, the IAF had taken over operational control of the Srinagar Airport too following the missile attack.

Speaking to the media, Ajay Kumar, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Chandigarh International Airport Ltd (CHIAL), confirmed that the Air Force has taken full control of the airport and all 52 domestic and international flights remain suspended until further orders.

In a post on X, Spicejet Airlines issued a flight advisory for airports in the northern parts of the country, stating, “Due to the ongoing situation, airports in parts of northern India, including Dharamshala (DHM), Leh (IXL), Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR), and Amritsar (ATQ), are closed until further notice. Departures, arrivals, and consequential flights may be impacted. Passengers are advised to plan their journey accordingly and check flight status.”

Indigo Airlines too issued an advisory on X. “Due to changing airspace conditions in the region, our flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh and Dharamshala are impacted. We request you to check your flight status before reaching the airport,” the post read.

“Update: Flights to/from Bikaner are also impacted by the current airspace restrictions. We request you to check your flight status before reaching the airport,” the post further reads.