After India launched multiple strikes against terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, airports in Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shimla, Dharamshala and Jamnagar have been closed till 5.29 am on May 10. As many as 400 flights have been cancelled and at least 18 airports across northern India have been temporarily shut, amid restrictions in the wake of the armed forces launching missile attacks against Pakistan on Wednesday morning. Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and a few foreign airlines cancelled their services to and from various airports.
“This is a national emergency, the safety of passengers is paramount. DGCA is monitoring the situation,” sources said
IndiGo said it has cancelled more than 165 flights from various domestic airports, including Amritsar and Srinagar, till early morning of May 10 due to airspace restrictions. “Air India flights to and from the following stations, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot, are being cancelled till 0529 hrs IST on 10 May following a notification from aviation authorities on the closure of these airports,” the airline said.
In a post on X, the airline also said passengers holding valid tickets for travel during this period will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges or a full refund for cancellations.
“Due to government notification on airspace restrictions, over 165 IndiGo flights from multiple airports (Amritsar, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Gwalior, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Leh, Rajkot, and Srinagar) are cancelled until 0529 hrs. IST of 10 May 2025,” IndiGo said in a statement. The airline also said that passengers whose flights are affected can reschedule the booking on the next available flight or opt to cancel their bookings at no additional cost, and a full refund will be processed. IndiGo operates around 2,200 flights daily.
In an update on X, SpiceJet said airports in parts of northern India, including Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar are closed until further notice. Departures, arrivals, and consequential flights may be impacted. The affected passengers can opt for a full refund or an alternate flight as per availability, it added.
At least 140 flights to and from the Delhi airport, the country’s largest and busiest airport, have been cancelled since 12 am. The source said that 65 arrivals and 66 departures were cancelled. Besides, 2 international departures and 2 international arrivals were cancelled during the day, the source added. Also, four international departures, including a flight of American Airlines, were cancelled since 12 am. “Due to changing airspace conditions some flights have been impacted. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates and alternate travel arrangements. “We are working closely with airlines and Air Traffic Control (ATC) to minimise any disruptions to flight schedules,” DIAL said in a post on X. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital is the country’s busiest airport and handles around 1,300 flight movements daily.
“Kindly note, due to changing airspace conditions some flights have been impacted at Delhi Airport,” DIAL said in a post on X.
Flight tracking data also showed no civilian aircraft activity north of Delhi, where some of the sensitive airports close to the Pakistan border are located.
Akasa Air, in a post on X, said that due to the prevailing situation in the region, all its flights to and from Srinagar have been cancelled.
Regional carrier Star Air said its flights to/from Nanded, Hindon, Adampur, Kishangarh and Bhuj stand cancelled for the day.
Air India Express, in a post on X, said that in keeping with prevailing restrictions, multiple flights on our network are impacted, including cancellation of flights to and from Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar, and Hindon, till mid-day. There was no further update immediatley. “Kindly note, due to changing airspace conditions some flights have been impacted at Delhi Airport,” DIAL said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways, in a post on X, said it has temporarily suspended flights to Pakistan due to Pakistani airspace closure. In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces, under Operation Sindoor, on early Wednesday, carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base in Muridke.