Air traffic across large parts of India and its neighbouring airspace was severely disrupted on Wednesday following missile strikes carried out by Indian armed forces on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Authorities shut down at least 18 airports temporarily and more than 200 domestic and international flights were cancelled as security was tightened across northern and western India, where several airports remain under heightened alert.
The airports in Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Pathankot, Jodhpur, and Jamnagar were among those affected. Flight operations in several other regional hubs, including Dharamshala and Shimla, were also suspended.
The disruption followed a precision military operation by India targeting nine locations linked to terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The offensive, dubbed "Operation Sindoor", was launched in retaliation for the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, which killed 26 people, including one Nepali citizen.
Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air and other major Indian carriers called off operations to and from the affected regions. Several international airlines also pulled back services to northern India and neighbouring Pakistan.
IndiGo, India’s largest airline, cancelled around 165 flights on Wednesday. A source at Delhi airport confirmed that at least 35 flights were cancelled between midnight and early morning — including 23 domestic departures and four international flights.
“Due to the current airspace restrictions and safety concerns, we have suspended all operations for the day at Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, and Jodhpur,” IndiGo said in a statement. Passengers were advised to monitor updates and rebook travel.
Air India, in its advisory, said flights to and from airports in Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot would remain suspended until at least 5.29 am on 10 May. The national carrier is offering a full refund or a one-time rescheduling waiver for affected customers.
SpiceJet said operations to several northern airports were suspended "until further notice", while Akasa Air cancelled its flights to and from Srinagar for the day. Regional airline Star Air cancelled services from Nanded, Hindon, Adampur, Kishangarh, and Bhuj.
Air India Express also reported widespread cancellations, particularly affecting services to Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar and Hindon. “Multiple flights on our network are impacted,” the airline said.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which manages Indira Gandhi International Airport — the country’s busiest — said the airport remained operational, but warned of delays and cancellations due to "changing airspace conditions".
The aftershocks of the airspace closure extended beyond Indian territory. Qatar Airways suspended its flights to Pakistan, citing the closure of Pakistani airspace in response to India’s strikes. Other foreign carriers are expected to follow suit if tensions escalate further.
Wednesday's events have added to fears of a broader escalation between India and Pakistan.
The Indian government described Operation Sindoor as a “focused, measured and non-escalatory” mission targeting terror infrastructure. Pakistan, however, termed the action an “act of war” and has threatened a “proportionate response”.
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