The Pakistani air area closure may not lead to Indian airlines increased costs

The closure of Pakistan to its air field to Indian Airlines on Thursday forces transport companies to change some of the roads that link India to Europe, North America, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Indian transport companies – including Air India, Indigo, Akasa Air and Spicejet – must now fly for a longer period, and therefore more expensive, on some roads heading to the West. The circumvention can pay some flights to add a stop to refuel or cancel completely certain methods.

Indigo, the country’s largest airline, said that it expects some international flights to be affected, while Air India said some of its flights from or from North America, Europe and the Middle East. Take an extended alternative road. Both the two statements were presented last week on the social media platform X.

Air India did not respond to CNBC in relation to the number of affected methods. Al -Nili stated that about 50 roads might be affected, while flights to Mati, Kazakhstan and Takkint, Uzbekistan were. Suspension.

The closure of the airspace comes with reactions from the nuclear armed neighbors, after 26 tourists were killed in the scenic town of Pahalgam in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the northwest of India.

India has linked the massacre to Pakistani militants, which Pakistan denies. I invited Pakistan A “neutral” investigation In the incident, which sparked tensions on the region that was long in the region in both countries.

closing Russian airspace Since the cost of flying around Russia was much higher for European tankers compared to Chinese tankers, which were not subject to restrictions. However, Russia – its air field – is much larger than Pakistan.

Indian Airways runs the largest part of international flights in the country, as it is scheduled to be more than 9,000 international departures this month, according to Cirium Airlines Analysis.

Among them, India is scheduled to fly 519 flights to Europe, and 309 to North America.

However, the airline “can outperform Russia to reach North America” ​​on some flights, the Cirium representative said Travel CNBC.

Many flights that connect the cities of northern India to the Middle East fly directly over Pakistan – a major area for Indian workers and entertainment travelers.

Half (49.3 %) of India’s travel in 2023 to the Middle East, according to India’s 2024 tourism data data material.

The United Arab Emirates is the most popular destination, as it attracts about 7.2 million Indian citizens – including 50 % of Indian migrant workers, and 41 % consist of entertainment and entertainment travelersand According to tourism data in India.

The closure of the Pakistani airspace for a period of five months to Indian transport companies in 2019 cost airlines about 7 billion Indian rupees (82 million dollars), according to what they said. Local media.

However, a flight has decreased on at least one road. April is usually the most expensive month that travels from New Delhi to Serenagar – the largest city in Jamo and Kashmir – where the average price ranges between $ 175 to $ 255, according to Google’s trips.

Next week, the website showed that flights to the city, which is sold by about 1.2 million people, sells $ 150.

Air India and Indigo, in separate jobs at X last week, stated that it will respond or reschedule reservations to Srinagar until May 7, Amid the cancellation of a block of travel reservations to the area.

Both airlines added flights to Serenagar to accommodate the accelerated travelers to leave the area in the wake of the massacre last week.

Mohit UL Islam, the journalist and director who lives in the region, said that tourism in Kashmir, which is famous for the beautiful mountains covered with snow and picturesque valleys, has witnessed unprecedented growth over the past few years.

He said that with the growth of industry and investments increased, people left other professions their jobs to join the sector.

But now, “there is silence of pin drops in the area.”

“I spoke to a few tourists who said they would not return to Wadi Kashmir – at all.”