Air France and Germany’s Lufthansa are among global carriers avoiding Pakistani airspace. Airlines stated this, and flight-tracking websites showed it on Monday. Tension between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan remained high after a deadly attack in Kashmir last month.
India took measures. They closed its airspace to Pakistan airlines. Pakistan barred airlines owned or operated by its neighbor. They suspended trade and halted special visas for Indians, although they let international airlines use its airspace.
Lufthansa Group’s airlines are “avoiding Pakistani airspace until further notice,” the group said in a statement to Reuters. This will result in longer flight times on some routes to Asia.
Flightradar24 data showed Lufthansa Flight LH760 from Frankfurt to New Delhi flew for nearly an hour longer than usual on Sunday. It took a longer route.
Flight-tracking data showed some British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines, and Emirates flights travelling over the Arabian Sea. They then turned north towards Delhi in order to avoid Pakistani airspace.
British Airways and Emirates did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Air France said in a statement: “The airline has decided to suspend overflight of Pakistan until further notice.” They cited the “recent evolution of tensions” between India and Pakistan.
The carrier said it was altering its flight schedule and flight plans with destinations such as Delhi, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh. This entails longer flight times.
Swiss, which Lufthansa Group owns, said the airline will rebook passengers who miss connecting flights free of charge.
Airlines have also been reacting to developments in the Middle East. European and U.S. carriers canceled flights for several days after Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired a missile. The missile landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday.
Besides the longer distances and higher fuel costs for airlines, Pakistan may see a drop in its earnings from overflight fees. These can run into hundreds of dollars a flight, depending on aircraft weight and distance covered. Pakistan’s reserves with the central bank stand at $10.2 billion. This is barely enough to cover two months’ worth of imports.
Independent aviation analyst Brendan Sobie said, “It could have a significant impact on some foreign airlines who rely heavily on Pakistan airspace as well as for Pakistan given the loss of overflight revenues.”
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