New Delhi: Leading Indian carriers flying to and from the UAE will face delays and have extended flying times following Pakistan's decisions to close its airspace to Indian carriers.
India’s flag carrier, Air India, announced Thursday that several of its international flights to and from the Middle East, North America, the UK, and Europe, may face delays or be forced to take extended routes following Pakistan’s decision to close its airspace to Indian carriers
Air India said in a statement, “Due to the announced restriction of Pakistan
Air India said in a statement, “Due to the announced restriction of Pakistan airspace for all Indian airlines, it is expected that some Air India flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route.”
It said, “Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen airspace closure outside our control. We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority.”
India's biggest carrier by market share - IndiGo - will also face similar issues, it confirmed in a statement. The incident comes two days after gunmen fired shots at unarmed citizens visiting Kashmir's Pahalgham, killing 26 tourists.
"Due to Pakistan's sudden announcement of air space closure, a few of our international flights are being impacted. We understand the inconvenience this may cause and our teams are doing their best to help you reach your destination at the earliest," IndiGo said
The airline has encouraged passengers to check the latest flight status, and is offering fliers flexible rebooking options, or refund claims, in case they would like to cancel their trips.
"We deeply value your patience and understanding, and remain committed to supporting our fellow citizens during these challenging times," the airline said.
Will airfares rise?
Indian carriers faced a similar situation for about five months in 2019 after the Pulwama terror attack.
Travel agents in the UAE confirmed the news, and said that UAE travellers may have to face longer flight times due to the airspace closures. "This has happened in 2019. At this point, passengers do not have to worry about airfares rising due to this issue," said Raheesh Babu, COO of Musafir.com.
"Flights, particularly to cities in North and North-West India such as Delhi, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad, located in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan that share land borders closer to Pakistan, may need to route further south over the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal," said a travel expert.
"Although these longer routes will consume more fuel and time, there are indications that airline ticket prices are not expected to increase as a result," the expert said.
Pahalgam terror attack: Former Indian expat in UAE from Kerala among 26 killed in Kashmir
Daughter, who recently relocated from Dubai, recounts chilling attack, survival with sons
Dubai: A former Indian expatriate in the UAE was among the 26 people gunned down in the tragic terrorist attack that struck the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam in India-administered Kashmir on Tuesday.
N Ramachandran, who hailed from the southern Indian state of Kerala, reportedly became active in politics after returning home from Dubai a few years ago.
His daughter, Arathi Ramachandran, who had recently moved from Dubai to India and survived the attack along with her six-year-old twin sons, has shared a harrowing first-hand account of the incident.
Speaking live on Malayalam television from Kerala, Arathi described how what was meant to be a joyful family holiday in what she called "Mini Switzerland" turned into a nightmarish ordeal.
“We were at a scenic activity zone in Pahalgam—zip lines, bungee jumping, photo spots in traditional Kashmiri dress. There were tourists everywhere,” she recalled.
Her mother, Sheela, who had accompanied them on the trip, was in their hotel. Arathi said they had just reached the activity areas and were engaged in some activities. “Suddenly, there was a loud sound.”
At first, she thought it might be a firecracker. “Then I saw someone shooting from a distance. I quickly realised it was a gunshot. I told my father it is a terror attack and told him and my sons to lie down.”
“The place was surrounded by forest. People were running helter-skelter,” she said.
Gunned down in seconds
Moments later, a gunman appeared near them. “He wasn’t in a military uniform [as some had reported],” she clarified to reporters.
“He told us to lie down and just said something like ‘Kalima’ (declaration of faith). We didn’t know how to respond. We just kept saying in Hindi that we didn’t know.”
Without warning, the gunman shot her father in front of her. “He poked me on the head with his gun. I don’t know if he meant to shoot me as well or just to scare me. But my children started crying and he left me.”
Despite the chaos, she remembered the timeline vividly. “We had reached the activity area on top of the mountain at around 2:10pm. It happened barely 10 minutes after we took tickets and the kids started playing.”
She said everything happened within seconds. It was her sons, she said, who saved her. “They were my wake-up call. I was hugging my father and crying. But when my sons cried and said let us leave, I thought about my mother and I realised I had to get my children to safety.”
She described navigating the hilly terrain, eventually following a trail formed by horse hooves. “It was a mushy area. Our feet were sinking into the mud, and we had to run without shoes.”
After nearly 45 minutes, she regained mobile signal and managed to call her driver. “Within minutes, I saw army personnel running up the mountain.”
Supportive residents
While escaping, she tried multiple times to reach her driver, finally getting through after half an hour. She said local residents helped guide her and her children through the dark terrain.
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