Pakistan prolongs ban on Indian flights through its airspace until late November

Pakistan's civil aviation authority announced that Indian-registered aircraft will be barred from its airspace until 04:59 am on Nov 24, extending the previous deadline of Oct 24. The NOTAM, released by the Pakistan Airports Authority, applies to both the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) flight information regions and covers commercial and military flights alike. The ban is part of a series of retaliatory steps taken after both nations closed each other's airspace in April 2025 following a lethal attack in Pahalgam, which Pakistan denied involvement in.

Subsequent confrontations, including a May air clash in which Pakistan claimed to have downed seven Indian fighter jets, have kept the restriction in place. Indian airlines now must fly longer routes, raising fuel expenses for Air India by as much as 29 % and adding up to three hours to certain journeys. The airline estimates the closure costs it about $455 million in annual pre-tax profit loss, a stark contrast to its fiscal 2024-25 loss of $439 million.