New Delhi: Amid ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, several airlines have started avoiding flying over Pakistan, according to flight trackers and airlines. Lufthansa and Air France are among those avoiding the Pakistan route.
Importantly, Lufthansa Flight LH760 which was coming from New Delhi to Frankfurt had to flu around an hour longer than the previous stipulated time due to longer flight durations, Flightradar24, a flight tracking website showed.
As per Air France, the recent tensions between India and France were the reason behind changing routes of its flights. “The airline has decided to suspend overflight of Pakistan until further notice,” it said in a statement. The airline is currently working on schedules of its flight destinations for Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Delhi.
Here’s what aviation data shows
The data further showed that a number of flights of Swiss International Air Lines, Emirates, and British Airways are flying north towards Delhi to avoid entering the airspace of Pakistan after flying over the Arabian Sea.
Notably, while British Airways and Emirates have not yet issued formal statements, the change in their routes reflects major caution in the aviation industry. The step among airlines will lead to longer flight durations for passengers on some routes. This will also affect airlines due to increasing fuel costs and affecting Pakistan’s economy.
After the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people and injured several others, tensions have increased between India and Pakistan with both countries announcing a number of steps against each other. While India suspended the Indus Water Treaty and its airspace for Pakistani airlines, Pakistan too banned its airspace for Indian airlines and suspended the Simla agreement among other steps.
