In the wake of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, several major international airlines have begun rerouting their flights to avoid flying over Pakistani airspace. This drastic move has been driven by the growing concerns for passenger safety amidst the fragile geopolitical climate between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Rising Tensions and Flight Rerouting

On April 24, Pakistan responded to India’s strong measures following the Pahalgam attack by closing its airspace to all Indian carriers. These actions included suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling Pakistani nationals from India, and barring Pakistani airlines from entering India’s airspace. In retaliation, Pakistan suspended Indian-operated flights, halted trade ties, and stopped issuing special visas for Indian citizens.

While Pakistan's airspace was closed to Indian airlines, it allowed international carriers to continue flying over its territory. However, due to the volatile situation, several international airlines have made the decision to avoid Pakistani airspace completely.

Airlines Avoiding Pakistani Airspace

Air France, British Airways, and Lufthansa are among the carriers that have suspended flights over Pakistani airspace for the foreseeable future. Air France confirmed it would not be flying over Pakistan until further notice, while the Lufthansa Group stated that its airlines would be avoiding Pakistani airspace as well. Similarly, British Airways, Emirates, ITA Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, and Swiss International Air Lines are all choosing to reroute their flights to bypass Pakistan.

Flight tracking data, notably from the Swedish platform Flightradar24, confirmed that certain flights operated by Air France, British Airways, and Swiss were seen diverting north after crossing the Arabian Sea, avoiding the overflight of Pakistan’s airspace. Some of the specific routes that have been rerouted include:

• Lufthansa’s Delhi-Frankfurt flight now flies longer routes via Mumbai and Ahmedabad to avoid Pakistan.

• British Airways’ Delhi-London and Air France’s Delhi-Paris flights are also following similar detours.

• Additionally, Lufthansa expanded its rerouting strategy to include flights from Munich to Delhi, Frankfurt to Mumbai, Frankfurt to Hyderabad, and others.

Impact on Flight Operations and Mumbai Airport

The rerouting of flights has resulted in longer flight times and added operational strain at airports like Mumbai, which is now handling up to 135 additional flights daily—a combination of international and Indian carriers. The rerouted flights are adding extra time to flight durations, with some flights, like Lufthansa flight LH760 from Frankfurt to New Delhi, taking up to an hour longer than usual due to the detours.

Indian Airlines Rerouting Flights

Indian carriers, including IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air India, and Air India Express, have also rerouted their international flights from various Indian cities like Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Srinagar to avoid Pakistani airspace. These flights, primarily bound for the Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait), Eastern Europe (Turkey, Greece, Georgia), and even North America, have been bypassing Pakistan since April 24.

Airlines Not Rerouting Flights

Despite the growing number of airlines rerouting their flights, some carriers have chosen to continue flying over Pakistani airspace after assessing their flight paths' safety. These airlines, which include Saudia, Oman Air, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, have opted to maintain their original routes, believing that their flight paths remain secure amid the ongoing geopolitical situation.

Conclusion

The current geopolitical tension between India and Pakistan, exacerbated by the Pahalgam terror attack, has had significant repercussions on international flight routes. Airlines are taking precautionary measures by rerouting their flights to avoid Pakistani airspace to ensure passenger safety. This situation highlights the volatile nature of international aviation when geopolitical tensions rise and emphasizes the need for airlines to constantly evaluate the safety and security of their flight paths in such circumstances.

As the situation evolves, the number of airlines diverting flights could increase, potentially leading to further disruptions in global flight patterns, particularly for routes that typically cross Pakistan’s airspace. The longer-term effects on air travel, especially in South Asia, remain to be seen as the diplomatic standoff continues.

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