21 airports in northern India closed due to fear of Pakistan's retaliation

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

International Desk: Tensions between India and Pakistan over the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, are on the verge of escalating into full-scale war. Following two weeks of threats and warnings, India has now launched a major missile strike on several locations in Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir. In response, Pakistan has sprung into action to deliver a harsh retaliation.

Soon after India’s strike, Pakistani forces destroyed five advanced aircraft and a military headquarters of India. Additionally, the Pakistan Army has been granted full authority to take any necessary measures to respond to India’s aggression. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has warned that India will pay a heavy price for its attack. In this context, the Indian government has ordered the closure of at least 21 airports in northern India until May 10.

This information was reported by Indian news outlet The Hindu on Wednesday (May 7) night.

According to the report, the Indian government has ordered at least 21 airports in northern and northwestern India to suspend passenger services until May 10. This measure follows the initiation of military operations near the Pakistan border.

Information from India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation states that these airports will remain closed until 5:29 AM on May 10.

These airports are located in union territories like Jammu and Kashmir and Leh, as well as in the states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. As a result, a large portion of India’s domestic flights have been canceled due to the conflict with Pakistan.

Moreover, several international flights from India have also been disrupted, as many have had to be rerouted due to the closure of Pakistan's airspace.

The Hindu listed the major airports in northern and northwestern India that have been shut down: Jammu, Srinagar, and Leh in Jammu and Kashmir; Amritsar, Chandigarh, Patiala, and Halwara in Punjab; Shimla and Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh; Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Kishangarh in Rajasthan; and Bhuj, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Mundra, Porbandar, Kandla, and Keshod in Gujarat.

Additionally, Gwalior and Hindon airports have also been included in the list, according to the report. Many of these airports serve both civilian and military flights.

Indian airline IndiGo stated that it has canceled over 165 flights from 11 airports. Air India has canceled flights from 9 airports, and Air India Express has suspended services from Amritsar, Gwalior, Jammu, Srinagar, and Hindon.

Another budget airline, SpiceJet, has canceled flights to Leh, Srinagar, Jammu, Dharamshala, Kandla, and Amritsar. Meanwhile, Akasa Air has suspended all its Srinagar flights until May 9.

The directive came into effect on Wednesday morning. According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, no commercial flights were observed operating in northern New Delhi, except for Dehradun.

Airlines have been using social media to alert passengers and are advising them to check flight status before traveling. They are also offering free rescheduling or full refunds for canceled flights.

Meanwhile, American carriers like American Airlines and United Airlines have canceled their flights to Delhi. Some flights from the Middle East and Europe have also had to land at alternative airports.

United Airlines stated, “In view of the situation in South Asia, we have canceled our flights to Delhi. We are monitoring the situation closely and will take further decisions as necessary.”

It is worth noting that on April 22, a devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, left 26 people dead. This was the deadliest attack in Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama attack. India indirectly accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack and, on Wednesday, suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with the country. India also took several additional measures in response. In retaliation, Pakistan suspended the Simla Agreement, closed its airspace to Indian aircraft, and halted all trade relations with India.

Since then, escalating threats and counter-threats have turned the situation increasingly volatile, bringing the two countries to the brink of war.

On the midnight of Tuesday (May 6), India launched simultaneous missile strikes on at least nine locations in Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir, which reportedly killed at least 31 people, according to Pakistani sources.

Following the Indian attack, both countries exchanged strikes throughout the day on Wednesday (May 7). Islamabad has since authorized its military to intensify operations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared that every drop of blood shed in India’s attack will be avenged.