KARACHI: Pakistan has extended the ban on Indian flights through its airspace for another month. The Pakistan Airports Authority has issued another Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) notification for this extension, and this notification was issued yesterday, Wednesday.
According to this notification, the ban has been extended for Indian airlines, aircraft operated by Indian operators, aircraft registered in India, and military aircraft. The ban has been extended for these aircraft until April 24, 2026, at 5:00 AM. The ban was first implemented on April 23, 2025, due to increased tensions between Pakistan and India. This ban has been extended for another month, and as a result, it has lasted for one year.
The ban has been active for one year now which disrupts more than 200 daily commercial flights from India because these flights must take longer paths and make extra stops and offload passengers to international airlines which results in significant financial losses.
Renowned airline suspends flight operations to Middle East
Earlier, a United Kingdom-based airline, British airways has suspended its flight operations to several Middle Eastern destinations including Dubai because of ongoing security concerns and regional instability.
The airline has cancelled all flights to Dubai until the summer season, according to media reports. The company will also keep its services to Oman Bahrain and Tel Aviv suspended until May 31.
The airline plans to keep its Doha flights suspended until the end of April and its Abu Dhabi operations will be suspended for an extended period.
Airline officials said the decision was taken in light of the “ongoing uncertainty” in the Middle East, including concerns about airspace safety. The company spokesperson said that customer and crew safety constitutes our greatest concern while we monitor the situation and contact impacted passengers directly.
The airport authorities implemented the move because a drone incident occurred near Dubai’s airport which caused temporary flight operation interruptions. Airlines continue to assess their flight schedules at Dubai International Airport because the security conditions in the area keep changing despite the airport running normal operations.
Authorities have confirmed that upcoming developments will lead to additional changes in flight operations as airlines prioritize passenger safety and operational security measures.
