IndiGo suspends Delhi to Tashkent, Almaty flights after Pak closes airspace following Pahalgam attack

Updated: April 26, 2025

IndiGo has announced the suspension of its Delhi-Tashkent and Delhi-Almaty flights until at least May 7, 2025, due to Pakistan’s airspace closure for Indian carriers. Around 50 international routes now face longer flight times, affecting IndiGo's operations.

In an official statement, IndiGo said approximately 50 of its international routes now require longer flight paths due to the restricted airspace. “With the same restrictions and limited rerouting options, unfortunately Almaty and Tashkent are outside the operational range of IndiGo’s current fleet. Hence, flights to Almaty stand cancelled from April 27 until at least May 7 ,and to Tashkent from April 28until May 7, 2025,” the airline stated..

The airline stated:

• Flight durations have increased by 80 to 90 minutes for certain sectors.
• IndiGo’s Airbus A320 family aircraft cannot operate on these extended routes due to range limitations.
• Flights to Almaty and Tashkent fall beyond the current fleet’s operational capability under the new restrictions.

Meanwhile, Air India has also been impacted. Its non-stop flights to North America, including destinations like Washington, New York, Chicago, and Toronto, were forced to make technical halts in Europe (such as Vienna and Copenhagen) for refueling and crew changes.

Some international flights by Air India are adopting alternative extended routes, but it remains unclear whether these technical stops will continue long-term.

This disruption mirrors the events of 2019, when Pakistan closed its airspace following the Balakot airstrikes, causing major operational hurdles for Indian airlines.

With no timeline yet for the reopening of Pakistan’s airspace, Indian carriers are likely to face continued operational challenges for westbound international flights.