Overview
- A fresh NOTAM keeps Pakistani airspace closed to Indian-registered and Indian-operated or leased aircraft, including military flights, until 05:29 a.m. India time on February 24, 2026.
- India issued a reciprocal ban in April 2025 and is expected to extend its restriction again on a matching cycle, while third-country carriers continue to overfly both countries.
- Roughly 800 weekly flights by Indian airlines now take longer routings to West Asia, Europe, the UK and eastern North America, increasing fuel burn and extending journeys by up to several hours.
- Air India estimates an annual pre-tax profit hit of about $455 million from the detours, with reported weekly losses and requests for temporary government support.
- The impact on Pakistan’s aviation sector remains limited, and IndiGo has suspended Delhi–Almaty and Delhi–Tashkent because longer paths exceed the range of its narrow-body jets.