Over 2,400 Indian flights disrupted since January amid curbs, airspace closures
New Delhi: Indian airlines have cancelled or rescheduled more than 2,400 flights in 2025 due to regulatory curbs and geopolitical tensions, official data show.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Indian Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told Parliament that from January to June, IndiGo reported 1,017 affected flights, Air India 662, Air India Express 427, SpiceJet 334 and Akasa Air 18. Disruptions stemmed from both domestic regulations and foreign government restrictions linked to international crises.
The diversions followed heightened Pakistan-India tensions and Islamabad’s May decision to close its airspace to Indian flights, a development notably omitted by the minister in his statement.
On April 24, Pakistan shut its airspace to Indian aircraft, hitting Air India’s long-haul services to North America. The ban remains in place, forcing costly reroutes.
Temporary airport closures during “Operation Sindoor” further hampered schedules, affecting hubs such as Srinagar, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Leh, Jammu and Jodhpur.
Aviation analysts say the prolonged diversions and reroutes have significantly inflated airline operating costs through higher fuel consumption, extended crew duty hours, accelerated aircraft wear, and increased airport handling charges. The financial strain, coupled with passenger compensation obligations, is expected to dent carriers’ margins for the remainder of the year, even as demand remains strong.
