Pakistan Airspace Ban: Pakistan has once again decided to close its airspace to Indian aircraft. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a new notice, extending the ban until March 23, 2026. This will have a direct impact on air travelers, as flights will now have to take longer routes, increasing both fuel costs and travel time.
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How long will this ban remain in effect?
According to information released by officials, this new order will remain in effect until March 23, 2026. This ban was first imposed in April 2025 and has been continuously extended since then. This rule applies to all Indian-registered civil, private, and military aircraft.
The recent incident involving a Pakistan Air Force aircraft on February 14, 2026, has created some tension between the two countries. It is now expected that Indian aviation authorities may extend a similar ban on Pakistani aircraft. However, foreign airlines will not be affected and will be able to fly over both countries.
What will be the impact on ordinary passengers and airlines?
Airline companies and ordinary travelers are bearing the brunt of this decision. The route change has significantly increased the costs of airlines like Air India and IndiGo.
Expensive tickets: Due to increased fuel and operational costs, air ticket prices are expected to increase by 35% to 40%.
Extended time: Flights from North India to the West or the Gulf have increased their flight times by 15 minutes to 3 hours.
Increased expenses: Airlines’ fuel costs have increased by 29%, resulting in annual losses of approximately ₹7,000 crore.
Route changes: Flights are now forced to detour over the Arabian Sea or via China.
Air India is finding it difficult to operate some non-stop flights to the US and Europe, while some direct flights, such as those from Delhi to Washington, have been temporarily suspended.
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