Pakistan airspace opens for airlines after five months

NEW DELHI: In a big respite for airlines as well as passengers flying towards the west of India, the Pakistani airspace is open for commercial airlines after a gap of about five months. “Pakistan has cancelled the notam for its airspace wef 0038 IST, consequential Notams by India also cancelled. Airlines likely to resume normal routes through Pakistan airspace,” a senior AAI official told ET.The flights have resumed now, the official added. Pakistan had, for the fifth time since February 26, 2019, extended the airspace closure to July 26, 2019. Pakistan, however, cancelled this order in a Notam (Notice to airmen) issued early in the morning on Tuesday. Pakistan fully closed its airspace on February 26 after the fighter jets of the Indian Air Force fighter struck a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot following the Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir killing CRPF personnel. This airspace closure has led to huge losses for carriers flying to the west of India as well as other international carriers too that fly to the west of India. The flight time due to the airspace closure has increased by 45 to 90 minutes depending on the aircraft type and others. The Indian carriers have lost about Rs 550 crore till the middle of June due to this airspace closure. A large of the losses - Rs 491 crore - has been made by the national carrier Air India, which has the largest international network among the Indian carriers.

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