Pakistan has extended its airspace ban on Indian aircraft until November 24, 2026, prolonging a disruption that has already forced Indian carriers to reroute international flights for more than a year.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), the standard regulatory instrument for airspace restrictions, pushing the expiry beyond the previous date of October 24, 2026. The measure covers Indian-registered aircraft and any aircraft owned, operated or leased by Indian airlines and operators, including military flights. It applies across both Pakistani flight information regions (FIRs), Karachi and Lahore.

The extension introduces no new restriction. It maintains a measure first imposed in April 2025 after relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply.

What does the change mean for Indian carriers?

Air India, IndiGo and Air India Express bear the operational brunt. Services from northern India heading west towards Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, the Caucasus and North America previously used Pakistani airspace as a direct corridor. Carriers now fly around Pakistan, often via the Arabian Sea and Iranian airspace.

The longer routings raise fuel burn and operating costs. They also complicate crew scheduling, aircraft rotations and flight planning. Some long-haul services have required technical stops for refuelling. Other routes have seen schedule changes or temporary suspensions.

The closure is now visible in network plans. Air India is reducing some European capacity for the 2026 winter season, suspending Delhi flights to Copenhagen and Vienna and cutting frequencies on selected routes. The airline cited several factors: the Pakistan airspace closure, high fuel prices and aircraft availability. The reductions are therefore not attributable to the ban alone.

How did the dispute begin?

The trigger was an attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, that killed 26 people. India accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism; Islamabad denied involvement. Retaliatory measures followed, including diplomatic actions and restrictions on air transport links.

Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian aircraft on April 23, 2025. India responded within a week, banning Pakistani-registered aircraft and aircraft operated, owned or leased by Pakistani airlines from its own airspace.

Tensions escalated in May 2025 when India launched Operation Sindoor, striking sites it described as terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The two countries later agreed a ceasefire, but political tensions persisted and both sides have kept their airspace restrictions in place.

Affected airlines now plan around a closure with no stated end date. The November 24 expiry will be tested again in a month, and carriers operating westbound from northern India will continue to carry the fuel, crew and network costs of avoiding Pakistani airspace until at least then.