Missile strikes on Pakistan: 18 airports shut, flights cancelled across North India
18 airports in North and West India have been shut and flights cancelled due to the missle strikes on Pakistan on May 7
By Sri Lakshmi Muttevi
India: 18 airports have been shut down as Operation Sindoor was carried out by the Indian Army
New Delhi: Operations at at least 18 airports across northern and western India were temporarily suspended following airspace restrictions imposed after the Indian armed forces launched missile strikes targeting terror camps in Pakistan.
Among the affected airports are Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Amritsar, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shimla, Dharamshala, and Jamnagar.
The military action was aimed at nine terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including Jaish-e-Mohammadās base in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taibaās stronghold in Muridke. The strikes come just days after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 tourists.
Flight Disruptions:
Major airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and several international carriers cancelled flights to and from the impacted areas.
IndiGo alone cancelled approximately 165 flights and issued a statement on X, confirming disruptions to services in cities including Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Gwalior due to evolving airspace conditions. The airline advised passengers to verify their flight status before heading to the airport.
Air India announced a suspension of flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot until 5:29 am on May 10, in line with aviation authority directives. Affected travelers are being offered full refunds or a one-time rescheduling option.
SpiceJet also halted operations at several northern airports, including Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar, until further notice, offering refunds and rebooking alternatives.
Akasa Air suspended all its flights to Srinagar, while regional airline Star Air cancelled operations to and from Nanded, Hindon, Adampur, Kishangarh, and Bhuj.
