Flights between the UAE and South Asia have been significantly disrupted after Pakistan closed its airspace amid rising tensions with India. This closure has left thousands of passengers stranded, leading to a wave of flight cancellations and diversions. Travellers are encouraged to check their flight status with their airlines as the situation develops.
UAE flights affected
Several Gulf carriers, including Etihad Airways, Emirates, flydubai, and Qatar Airways, have cancelled or rerouted flights:
- Emirates cancelled services between Dubai and Sialkot, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar.
- Etihad Airways suspended Abu Dhabi flights to Karachi (EY297), Lahore (EY285) and Islamabad (EY303).
- Flydubai suspended flights to Multan, Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot, and Faisalabad.
Some services, including Karachi, have now resumed.
- Etihad confirmed that three Pakistan-bound flights were forced to return mid-air to Abu Dhabi on May 6.
- Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended all flights to Pakistan.
Global airlines reroute to avoid Pakistani airspace
International carriers are also adjusting flight paths:
- EVA Air (Taiwan) and Korean Air have rerouted their Europe-bound flights.
- Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, and others are flying longer detours over the Arabian Sea and Central Asia.
Airport closures across India and Pakistan
Several airports in northern India and Pakistan are closed until further notice, including: Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Dharamshala in India. Srinagar Airport has also suspended all civilian flights.
Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air have cancelled or delayed flights to and from these cities.
Air India:
Suspended services to Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot until 12 noon on May 7.
Two international flights to Amritsar have been diverted to Delhi.
SpiceJet:
Confirmed the closure of airports including Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar, warning passengers of disruptions to departures, arrivals, and connections.
IndiGo:
Flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, and Bikaner have been impacted by changing airspace conditions.
Akasa Air:
Akasa Air said flights to and from Srinagar have been cancelled. Passengers have been told to check their flight status before commencing their travel to the airport.
Pakistan declares emergency at airports
Pakistan has declared an air emergency at major airports, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Skardu, and Peshawar, following heightened military tensions with India. The move has triggered strict security measures and caused disruptions to flight operations across the country. In response to the escalating situation, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has suspended all flights for 12 hours as a precaution.
What should travellers do?
All airlines are advising passengers to:
- Check the airline’s website or app for real-time flight updates
- Avoid travelling to the airport unless your flight is confirmed
- Make a fresh booking or request a refund if your flight is cancelled
Airlines have apologised for the inconvenience and said they are monitoring the situation closely. Passenger safety remains the top priority.
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