Pakistan Extends Ban on Indian Planes: What It Means for Travel and Tensions

Pakistan has extended its ban on Indian aircraft flying through its airspace for another month. This means all planes registered in India—whether commercial flights, military aircraft, or leased planes—cannot fly over Pakistan until at least January 23, 2026.

India has done the same to Pakistani planes, creating a mutual airspace closure that’s making travel longer and more expensive for everyone.

The Spark and Escalation: How One Attack Led to Closed Skies

This all began back in April 2025 after a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Here’s what happened step by step:

1. The Attack: Militants killed people in the Baisaran Valley. A Pakistan-based group claimed responsibility.
2. India’s Response: India suspended the Indus Water Treaty—an important agreement about sharing river water with Pakistan.
3. Pakistan’s Reaction: Pakistan called the treaty suspension an “act of war” and closed its skies to Indian planes on April 24, 2025.
4. More Fighting: In early May, India conducted military strikes in Pakistan-administered areas. Pakistan then briefly closed its airspace to all international planes for about two days before reopening to everyone except Indian aircraft.

Since then, Pakistan has been extending the ban every month, and this is just the latest extension.

The Real-World Impact: Extra Time, Cost, and Hassle

Longer and More Expensive Flights

• Extra Time: Flights from India to Europe or North America now take 20-40 minutes longer because they must fly around Pakistan instead of over it.
• Higher Costs: Airlines are spending up to $20,000 more per flight on extra fuel and other expenses. These costs often get passed to travelers through higher ticket prices.
• Changed Routes: Some flights now need to stop to refuel in places like Vienna or Copenhagen instead of flying directly.

Specific Route Changes

• India to London: A round trip that used to take about 11 hours each way now takes closer to 12 hours.
• India to Dubai: Some routes have added several hours to flight times.
• India to Central Asia: Flights to places like Tashkent, Uzbekistan now take three extra hours.

Why Keep Extending the Ban?

The monthly extensions serve as a political signal between the two countries. Here’s why neither side is backing down:

1. Diplomatic Freeze: Regular talks between India and Pakistan have stopped. The airspace ban is one of the few ways they can show their disagreement without direct military conflict.
2. Security Concerns: India wants action against militant groups based in Pakistan. Pakistan has its own demands. Until these issues are addressed, neither country wants to appear weak by reopening airspace first.
3. Loss of Face: Both governments worry that reopening airspace without getting something in return might make them look weak to their own citizens.

Navigating the Uncertain Future: Scenarios and Stalemates

The airspace might reopen if:

• Diplomatic talks resume between Indian and Pakistani officials
• There’s reduced militant activity in Kashmir
• The economic costs become too high for both countries
• International pressure increases to reopen these important air routes

However, no talks are scheduled right now, and neither country seems ready to make the first move.

Tips for Travelers

If you need to fly between regions affected by this ban:

1. Add Extra Time: Schedule longer connections between flights since routes are longer.
2. Check Flight Times: Your usual flight might take significantly longer than before.
3. Consider Alternatives: For some destinations, it might be worth looking at different airports or airlines that have optimized their new routes better.
4. Be Patient: Security and immigration lines might be longer at airports handling these rerouted flights.

Simple Summary

Pakistan won’t let Indian planes fly over its country, and India won’t let Pakistani planes fly over its country. This started after a terrorist attack and related tensions. Now flights take longer and cost more because they have to fly around each other’s countries. The ban keeps getting extended because neither government wants to back down first. Regular travelers are caught in the middle, paying more and traveling longer because of political problems between the two countries.

Until India and Pakistan find a way to talk to each other again, the skies will remain closed, and we’ll all keep taking the long way around.