NEW DELHI- Airlines including IndiGo (6E), Air India (AI), and SpiceJet (SG) cancelled 430 flights at 27 airports, including Srinagar (SXR) and Amritsar (ATQ), which are closed until May 10, 2025. The closures, triggered by Operation Sindoor, disrupted travel across northern, western, and central India.
On May 7, 2025, India’s armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This military operation led to the closure of 27 airports across northern, western, and central India until 5:29 AM on May 10, 2025. The operation resulted in the cancellation of 430 flights, which is approximately 3% of India’s daily scheduled flights, with IndiGo (6E) alone cancelling over 165 services.
As a result of the heightened military activity, the airspace over Pakistan and India’s western corridor, from Kashmir to Gujarat, has seen minimal civilian traffic as airlines rerouted to avoid the sensitive zone. In response, Pakistan cancelled 147 flights, representing 17% of its schedule, and closed its airspace, forcing international carriers like Qatar Airways (QR), KLM (KL), and Singapore Airlines (SQ) to detour, adding up to 75 minutes to flight times.
At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), 140 flights were cancelled, including four international services. The affected airports include key civilian and dual-use military facilities such as:
- Srinagar (SXR)
- Jammu (IXJ)
- Leh (IXL)
- Amritsar (ATQ)
- Chandigarh (IXC)
- Ludhiana (LUH)
- Patiala (unknown IATA)
- Bathinda (BUP)
- Halwara (unknown IATA)
- Pathankot (IXP)
- Bhuntar (KUU)
- Shimla (SLV)
- Gaggal (DHM)
- Dharamsala (DHM)
- Kishangarh (KQH)
- Jaisalmer (JSA)
- Jodhpur (JDH)
- Bikaner (BKB)
- Mundra (unknown IATA)
- Jamnagar (JGA)
- Rajkot (RAJ)
- Porbandar (PBD)
- Kandla (IXY)
- Keshod (unknown IATA)
- Bhuj (BHJ)
- Gwalior (GWL)
- Hindon (unknown IATA)
Many of these airports are strategic airfields, limiting commercial operations to prioritize defense activities. The closures disrupted travel in ten states and Union Territories, with northern cities like Srinagar (SXR) and Amritsar (ATQ) facing complete suspension of civil operations. Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) reported 18 cancellations, including 16 IndiGo (6E) and two Air India Express (IX) flights.
In response to these cancellations, major airlines issued advisories and offered support to affected passengers. IndiGo (6E) cancelled flights to these airports, providing full refunds or free rescheduling until May 22, 2025, for bookings made by April 22, 2025. Air India (AI) cancelled services to nine airports, offering refunds or alternative flights. Akasa Air (QP) cancelled all Srinagar (SXR) flights, while Air India Express (IX) halted services to Amritsar (ATQ), Gwalior (GWL), Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR), and Hindon. Regional carrier Star Air (S5) cancelled operations to Nanded (NDC), Hindon, Adampu, Kishangarh (KQH), and Bhuj (BHJ).
The international impact of the strikes, executed by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, escalated tensions, prompting Pakistan to close its airspace and India to restrict civilian flights near the border. International carriers, including American Airlines (AA), United Airlines (UA), Lufthansa (LH), and Emirates (EK), cancelled or rerouted flights, with American (AA) cancelling its New York (JFK) to Delhi (DEL) service and United (UA) halting Newark (EWR) to Delhi (DEL). Pakistan’s airspace closure affected 52 flights by Wednesday morning, forcing carriers like Korean Air (KE) and EVA Air (BR) to detour through southern Asia.
The disruptions have also increased fuel costs and ticket prices, with Indian airlines facing weekly losses of ₹80–100 crore. IndiGo (6E), which operates 2,200 daily flights, bore the brunt of 165 cancellations. The Air India Group, including Air India (AI) and Air India Express (IX), cancelled 140 flights. Delhi (DEL), India’s busiest airport, saw 65 arrivals and 66 departures cancelled, disrupting both domestic and international travel.
Meanwhile, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) faced minimal disruptions but is scheduled for a six-hour closure on May 8, 2025, for pre-monsoon runway maintenance, which is unrelated to the current crisis. The economic impact is significant, with longer routes increasing fuel consumption and airfares by 8–12%.
In addition to the travel disruptions, schools in several states have also been closed. In Jammu, schools and colleges will remain closed in Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch until May 8 for security reasons following Operation Sindoor. In Rajasthan, all government and private schools in the state's border districts, including Barmer, Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, and Jaisalmer, are closed until further notice. Similarly, in Punjab, schools in border districts, including Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur, will be closed.
As the situation continues to evolve, authorities urge travelers to stay updated on flight statuses and to exercise caution when traveling to northern border areas. The government has also given the Indian armed forces complete operational freedom to take decisive action in case of any provocation from Pakistan.
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