Overview
- Pakistan’s latest NOTAM extends the prohibition on Indian-registered aircraft to late March, with reports citing March 23 or early March 24 as the end time.
- The notice, issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority with government approval, blocks all Indian commercial, private and military flights from transiting Pakistani airspace.
- India is expected to issue a matching extension before its current NOTAM expires on February 24, continuing the month-by-month reciprocity that began in April 2025.
- About 800 weekly Indian departures and arrivals now take lengthier paths to West Asia, Europe, the UK and eastern North America, leading to refuelling stops and some route suspensions such as IndiGo’s Delhi–Almaty and Delhi–Tashkent.
- Air India has estimated an annualised hit of roughly Rs 4,000 crore, while the impact on Pakistan International Airlines remains limited due to its smaller network and few pre-closure overflights.