Pakistan extends airspace ban on India until June 23

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended its restriction on the use of its airspace by Indian aircraft until June 23, according to a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) put out by the Pakistan Airports Authority.

The NOTAM states that starting May 19, the ban will stay put for all Indian-registered commercial aircraft, Indian military aircraft, and also aircraft that are leased by Indian airlines or are owned and operated by Indian individuals. In other words, the reach is broader than the earlier airspace restriction.

This closure of Pakistan’s airspace for Indian aviation traffic was first imposed amid heightened regional tensions and has since been extended again and again, through official aviation notifications, sometimes with only minor wording changes.

Pakistan once more closed its airspace to Indian aircraft on April 24, 2025, after fresh tensions arose. As a rule, NOTAM-based extensions are issued by aviation authorities to manage or restrict air traffic for security and operational reasons.

Aviation analysts say the ongoing shutdown of the airspace means Indian carriers have to use longer alternate routes for westbound and international flights, which in turn raises fuel burn, adds to flight time, and pushes up operational costs.

Airlines then have to re-route through other air corridors, and that can also shake scheduling efficiency, plus cargo planning can be affected. Looking back, Pakistan has put in place comparable airspace limits during periods of diplomatic strain, including in 2019 after escalations between the two countries, when prolonged closures disrupted regional flight links and hurt international connectivity for Indian aviation operators in a very direct way.

The most recent extension, analysts add, is likely to keep pressure on operational planning for Indian airlines, especially on long-haul routes linking Europe, North America, and the Middle East, with all the extra logistics that come along with that.