New Delhi: Airspace restrictions in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel have created fresh challenges for Indian airlines, which are already barred from using Pakistan’s airspace.
Industry data shows that the situation has disrupted a large number of international flights operated by major Indian carriers Air India and IndiGo, particularly on routes connecting India with the Middle East, Europe and North America.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the two airlines did not operate around 64 percent of their 1,230 scheduled flights to these regions over the past 10 days due to airspace restrictions and operational disruptions.
Aviation expert Amit Mittal described the situation as a “double whammy” for Indian airlines operating international routes.
Pakistan imposed a ban on Indian carriers using its airspace in April last year following heightened military tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
Analysts say the latest geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are likely to increase operational costs for airlines. Financial services firm HSBC has warned that ongoing disruptions could place a significant burden on the profitability of Indian carriers.
While some routes have resumed in recent days, IndiGo continues to face operational challenges due to its reliance on six long-range Boeing aircraft leased from Norse Atlantic Airways.
Because the aircraft remain registered in Norway, they must comply with advisories issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which has recommended that airlines avoid the airspace of several Middle Eastern countries including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
As a result, IndiGo has been forced to take longer routes via Africa, increasing flight times by up to two hours in some cases, according to data from Flightradar24.
In one recent incident, an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Manchester was forced to return to Delhi after air traffic authorities in Eritrea denied access to their airspace due to confusion over the aircraft’s Norwegian registration.
Similarly, another IndiGo flight travelling from London to Mumbai was diverted to Cairo due to the same issue.
Meanwhile, Air India announced plans to operate 78 additional flights between India and destinations in Europe and the United States over the next week to meet increased travel demand during the crisis.
However, longer flight routes are significantly increasing travel times and operational costs. For example, an Air India flight from Delhi to New York City recently made a stopover in Rome, extending the journey to nearly 22 hours.
Before the conflict, the airline could fly via Iraq and Turkey and reach the United States in about 17 hours without stops.
In comparison, a flight operated by American Airlines on the same route recently took around 16 hours by flying through Pakistani airspace.
Air India, owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has previously estimated that the ban on Pakistani airspace could cost the airline around $600 million annually.
The latest disruptions come as airlines worldwide face higher operating costs due to longer flight routes and rising global oil prices triggered by the Middle East conflict.