The North News
Chandigarh, May 7
Flight operations across northern India were thrown into disarray on Wednesday, just hours after the Indian armed forces launched a series of coordinated strikes named as dubbed Operation Sindoor, targeting nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). By 7:42am, at least 20 flights had been cancelled while delays hit 76 departures and 46 arrivals, according to aviation data from Flightradar24, the news outlet The Mint reported. The disruption was most pronounced at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, where passengers were advised to check with airlines or visit the airport’s website amid what officials described as “changing airspace conditions”.
The sudden reduction in civilian air traffic, particularly in regions north of Delhi and along sensitive border zones, was evident in live tracking visuals shared by Flightradar24, which showed a conspicuous absence of aircraft over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and parts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, according to The Indian Express.
According to media reports, India’s largest airline, IndiGo, confirmed significant disruptions on routes linking Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Dharamshala. Air India, the national carrier, suspended flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, and Rajkot until at least midday on 7 May. Two international flights bound for Amritsar were diverted to Delhi, further underscoring the ripple effect on global travel corridor.
Several airlines moved quickly to halt operations at northern airports altogether. SpiceJet issued a notice announcing the closure of airports at Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar “until further notice”, warning passengers of delays and urging them to check flight statuses before travelling.
Akasa Air confirmed that Srinagar airport had been shut to civilian aircraft amid “the current situation in the region”, leading to the cancellation of all its scheduled flights to and from the city.
The fallout extended beyond Indian borders. Qatar Airways announced a temporary suspension of flights to Pakistan due to the closure of the country’s airspace, stating it was “closely monitoring the developments” and prioritising passenger and crew safety.
