New Delhi (TAN): In what comes as very good news for airlines operating between the Indian capital and international destinations to its west, Pakistan on Tuesday opened its airspace for all civilian traffic.
“With immediate effect, Pakistan airspace is open for all type of civilian traffic on published ATS routes,” read a notice to airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, according to media reports.
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The country had closed its airspace since February, when the Indian Air Force carried out a strike on an alleged terrorist-training facility in Balakot in Pakistan. Pakistan has denied India’s claims that there was such a facility at the site.
India’s attack had come following an attack on a convoy of Indian soldiers in north India’s disturbed Jammu and Kashmir state. The attack had left 40 soldiers dead. India claimed the attack had been masterminded by Pakistan-based terrorists.
Because of the airspace closure over Pakistan, many flights to and from New Delhi had to be diverted. The longer route meant the flights took more time and operational costs increased. Air India had been especially hit by the move.
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In mid-April, Pakistan opened one of its 11 air routes for west-bound flights from India, which provided some relief to some airlines.
Air India lost Rs 491 crore till July 2 due to the closure of the Pakistan airspace. Private airlines SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir lost Rs 30.73 crore, Rs 25.1 crore and Rs 2.1 crore, respectively, NDTV cited data presented by civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri in the Rajya Sabha on July 3.
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India’s largest airline by market share, IndiGo, could not start direct flights from Delhi to Istanbul due to the airspace closure.
