Air France and Germany’s Lufthansa were among the international airlines avoiding Pakistan’s airspace on Monday, according to airline sources and flight tracking websites. This comes as tension remains high between India and Pakistan after a deadly attack in Kashmir last month.
In response, India closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines. Pakistan, in return, banned Indian-owned or operated airlines,stopped trade, and cancelled special visas for Indians. However, Pakistan has still allowed international airlines to use its airspace.
Global Airlines Reroute Flights Amid India-Pakistan Tensions
Lufthansa Group said in a statement to Reuters that its airlines are “avoiding Pakistani airspace until further notice.” This means some flights to Asia will take longer, and the airline is closely watching the situation.
Flight tracking data showed that some flights from British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines, and Emirates changed their paths, flying north toward Delhi to avoid Pakistan’s airspace after crossing the Arabian Sea.
British Airways and Emirates have not yet responded to questions about this change.
Air France also said, “The airline has decided to suspend overflight of Pakistan until further notice,” explaining it was due to the “recent evolution of tensions” between India and Pakistan.
The airline added that it is changing its flight plans and schedules for places like Delhi, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City, which will cause longer travel times.
Longer Routes Hit Airlines and Pakistan’s Overflight Revenue
Lufthansa Flight LH760 from Frankfurt to New Delhi took almost an hour longer on Sunday because it had to follow a longer route, according to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24.
These route changes not only increase travel time and fuel costs for airlines, but also mean Pakistan will earn less from overflight fees. These fees can be hundreds of dollars per flight, depending on the aircraft’s weight and distance flown.
Reuters was not able to get a comment from Pakistan’s civil aviation authority right away.
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