India-Pak conflict: 32 airports shut for civilian flights till May 15 amid heightened tensions

New Delhi: Thirty-two airports across northern and western parts of the country, including Srinagar and Amritsar, have been closed for civilian flight operations till May 15, according to the civil aviation regulator.

The decision, announced early Saturday, comes in view of the military conflict between India and Pakistan that continued unabated since India's May 7 strikes on terror camps and Pakistan's subsequent shelling of border areas.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities have issued a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across northern and western India for all civil flight operations. The closure will be effective from "May 9, 2025, to May 14, 2025 (which corresponds to 0529 IST on 15th May 2025), due to operational reasons," DGCA said in a release.

The airports include Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, and Jammu. Other airports are Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali (Bhuntar), Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla, Srinagar, Thoise and Uttarlai, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

Earlier, at least 24 airports had been ordered shut for civilian flight operations till May 10.

Meanwhile, the AAI has extended the temporary closure of 25 segments of Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes within the Delhi and Mumbai Flight Information Regions (FIRs) due to operational reasons. "The 25 route segments will remain unavailable from ground level to unlimited altitude until 2359 UTC on 14th May 2025 (which corresponds to 0529 IST on 15th May 2025)," DGCA said.

Because of the closure of these segments, the regulator has advised airlines and flight operators to plan alternate routes. The temporary closure is being managed in coordination with relevant ATC units to ensure safety and minimise disruption, it added.

Air India on Friday said that it had cancelled flights from nine locations in India due to the closure of the airports. "Following a notification from aviation authorities on continued closure of multiple airports in India, Air India flights to and from the following stations – Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhuj, Jamnagar and Rajkot – are being cancelled till 0529 hrs IST on 15 May, pending further updates," the airline said in a post on X. The company also said customers holding valid tickets for travel during this period will be offered a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges or a full refund for cancellations.

In a post on X, IndiGo said in accordance with the latest directives from the relevant authorities, all flights to and from 10 destinations will remain cancelled until 0529 hours on May 15 due to temporary airport closures. The airports are Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Bikaner, Rajkot, Jodhpur and Kishangarh. "These precautionary measures have been instituted with your safety and security as our highest priority," the airline said.

Meanwhile, the Airport Authority, Sri Guru Ramdas International Airport, Amritsar, on Friday extended the suspension period for all types of flights till May 15. "It is intimated to all concerned that suspension of all commercial/civil domestic and international flight operations from Amritsar Airport is further extended till 05:30 hrs on 15.05.2025," it said. 

The Srinagar Airport  Authority also issued similar directive, stating that civilian flight operations will remain suspended till midnight of May 15. "Please note that Srinagar Airport is closed up to 2359 hours of 14.05.2025 for flight operations," an official of the Airports Authority of India said.

On April 30, India shut its airspace for Pakistan airlines as part of retaliatory measures in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. On April 24, Pakistan closed its airspace for Indian carriers.