Several airports across northern India have been shut to civilians in the wake of India’s targeted military operations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir in the early hours of Thursday. The events have prompted temporary shutdowns of several civilian airports across northern India due to heightened security concerns and airspace restrictions. Leading airlines have also suspended flight operations to and from these airports and have issued travel advisories.
Affected airports
At the time of publishing (10.30am on Wednesday 7 May), flight operations have been suspended at multiple airports across northern India, including Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior and Hindon. These closures are a direct consequence of increased airspace restrictions following Operation Sindoor, a targeted military action in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Air traffic is expected to remain disrupted indefinitely.
Multiple airlines issue travel advisories
Several leading airlines, including IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India and Air India Express, confirmed the closures and issued advisories on social media platform X.
IndiGo has issued a statement confirming multiple cancellations from northern airports and is offering affected passengers options for rescheduling or refunds via their app and website. IndiGo also informed travellers that operations at Bikaner have been affected, stating, “Flights to/from Bikaner are also impacted by the current airspace restrictions. We request you to check your flight status before reaching the airport.”
Air India has announced the suspension of all flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot until 12pm on May 7. The airline, in a post on social media platform X, said two international flights bound for Amritsar are being diverted to Delhi. SpiceJet, via its official Twitter/X handle, has alerted travellers to “temporary disruptions” and urged them to monitor updates regularly. “Due to the ongoing situation, airports in parts of northern India, including Dharamshala (DHM), Leh (IXL), Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR), and Amritsar (ATQ), are closed until further notice. Akasa Air also issued a statement saying the Srinagar Airport is shut and that all their flights to and from Srinagar remain cancelled.
What is the UK foreign travel advice?
Following the conflict, the UK government website has advised against all travel within 10km of the India-Pakistan border, the region of Jammu and Kashmir, and the state of Manipur including the capital, Imphal.
The latest statement at the time of writing is as follows:
“On the night of 6 May (UK Time), the Indian Ministry of Defence stated it had struck nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. In response, there are reports of Pakistani artillery fire across the Line of Control. We are aware of potential disruption to flights to/from India and are monitoring closely. British nationals should contact their airline for up-to-date information. According to media reports on 6 May, the Indian Government announced a Civil Defence mock drill on 7 May in several states across India. The drill may include temporary power cuts or blackouts, loud air raid sirens, suspension of mobile signals, or traffic diversions. Authorities may also conduct evacuation exercises or hold public announcements. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. British nationals should stay up to date with our travel advice and follow the advice of local authorities.”
What travellers can expect
- Operations at these airports will remain suspended till further notice
- The network effect could lead to disruptions across several airports elsewhere, as airlines recalibrate operations
- Heightened security at airports and terminals could mean longer wait times outside the terminals, and inside.
A version of this article was first published on Condé Nast Traveller India.