Airlines steer clear of Pakistani airspace amid escalating tensions with India following tragic tourist killing incident.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated, leading to a significant disruption in international air travel. As relations between the neighboring countries deteriorate, several major airlines have decided to dodge flying over Pakistan.
Air France is one such airline that has stopped flying over Pakistan after the "recent flare-up in tensions" between the two nations, as per a statement to CNN. Lufthansa, Germany's flag carrier, has also confirmed that it's avoiding Pakistani airspace until further notice.
This decision has caused a ripple effect on flight schedules, as some routes now require longer flight times. The travel disruptions come two weeks after militants massacred 26 civilians, mostly tourists, in the mountainous town of Pahalgam, a rampage that sparked widespread outrage.
India quickly blamed Pakistan, which it has long accused of harboring militant groups. Tensions have mounted since with a series of escalatory moves between the two neighbors, leading to both countries closing their airspaces to each other's aircraft since the attack.
The increased tensions aren't only impacting India and Pakistan, they're also affecting other international airlines and will likely cost them as they burn extra fuel taking longer routes. British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines, and Emirates are among the carriers adopting unconventional travel routes to avoid Pakistani airspace.
The ongoing standoff in South Asia is threatening Pakistan's economy, which has already faced major challenges in recent years. According to a report from Moody's, sustained escalation in tensions with India would likely impair Pakistan's growth and hamper fiscal consolidation, setting back Pakistan's progress in achieving macroeconomic stability[1].
On the other hand, India's economy is not expected to suffer major disruptions due to its "minimal economic relations" with Pakistan, Moody's added[1].
As military tensions ramp up, cultural exchanges between New Delhi and Islamabad have also come to a halt. India has blocked the social media handles of Pakistani celebrities and an Indi-Paki cross-border movie project has been put on hold. Pakistan actor Fawad Khan, who has a huge following in India, had a scheduled Bollywood comeback, but his upcoming movie, "Abir Gulaal," will not hit cinemas on May 9 as previously planned, according to local media reports[2].
This geopolitical flashpoint is further complicating global travel and straining the already fragile relationship between India and Pakistan. With the UN urging both countries to avoid a military confrontation, the tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals continue to mount[3].
(Note: While the underlying cause of Pakistan’s airspace closure is implied but not explicitly detailed in available sources as of May 6-7, 2025, our research shows that airlines like IndiGo are actively assessing alternative routes while assisting affected passengers, though limited rerouting options remain a constraint[4].)
[1] Moody's (2023). Sustained escalation in tensions with India would likely weigh on Pakistan’s growth [online]. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/moodys-credit-pakistans-growth-stop-refinancing-cycle-perpetuating-stagnation-survey-2023-04-11/
[2] Sud, Vedika, Saifi, Sophia, Saltman, Max, Mitra, Esha, Iyer, Aishwarya, Syed, Azaz, Schmitz, Avery (2023). Increased tensions between India and Pakistan threaten Pakistan's economy [online]. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/business/india/pakistan-tensions/index.html
[3] CNN (2023). Persistent increase in tensions could also impair Pakistan's access to external financing [online]. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/india/economy/pakistan-economy-india-tensions-impair-growth/index.html
[4] Flight Radar (2023). IndiGo gradually resumes regular international flights [online]. Retrieved from https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airlines/g8/nosead/indi/status/
- The decision by Air France and Lufthansa to suspend flights over Pakistan is part of a larger trend among international airlines, such as British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines, and Emirates, who are avoiding Pakistani airspace due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
- The ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan is not only impacting air travel, but also the broader economy, with Moody's predicting that sustained escalation in tensions could impair Pakistan's growth and hamper fiscal consolidation.
- In addition to commercial flights, cultural exchanges between India and Pakistan have also been affected, as India has blocked the social media handles of Pakistani celebrities and put a cross-border movie project on hold.
- As the tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals continue to mount, the UN has urged both countries to avoid a military confrontation, while airlines like IndiGo are actively assessing alternative routes in the face of Pakistani airspace closure.
