IndiGo to temporarily cancel Almaty, Tashkent flights due to Pakistan airspace closure

IndiGo on Friday (April 26) said it will temporarily cancel flights to Almaty and Tashkent due to aircraft operational range constraints in the wake of the Pakistan airspace closure.

The airspace closure has forced Indian airlines operating flights to the West to take longer routes, and narrow-body planes might not operate non-stop for a long duration. IndiGo operates Airbus narrow-body aircraft to Almaty and Tashkent.

The airline said that around 50 international routes operated by it will require longer sectors and hence may be subject to some slight schedule adjustments. "With the same restrictions and limited rerouting options, unfortunately, Almaty and Tashkent are outside the operational range of IndiGo's current fleet," it said in a statement.

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Flights to Almaty stand cancelled from April 27 until at least May 7 and to Tashkent from April 28 until May 7. "We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers and assure them that we're looking at all options to minimise disruptions," the statement said.

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan due to the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan on Thursday barred Indian airlines from using its airspace. The airspace cannot be used by India-registered aircraft as well as planes owned or leased by Indian operators.

Also Read: Pak airspace shutdown to impact Air India, IndiGo; passengers will see longer flying time, high fares