Operation Sindoor: Over 200 flights cancelled; 18 airports across northern and western India temporarily closed, These include Amritsar, Chandigarh, Pathankot, Jodhpur…
Over 200 flights have been cancelled and nearly 18 airports, including Srinagar, have suspended operations temporarily following missile strikes carried out by the Indian armed forces on terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir early Wednesday, as part of Operation Sindoor. Major Indian carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Air India Express, along with a few international airlines, have called off several scheduled flights due to the restrictions in place.
According to sources at PTI, airports across northern and western India have been closed as a precautionary measure. These include key airports in Srinagar, Leh, Jammu, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Pathankot, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shimla, Dharamshala, and Jamnagar, among others.
IndiGo alone has reportedly cancelled around 160 flights. Overall, more than 200 flight movements have been impacted. From Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport alone, at least 35 flights have been called off since midnight, including domestic and international departures and arrivals. American Airlines and other foreign carriers have also suspended some services.
Air India announced that flights to and from cities like Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, Rajkot, and Jodhpur would remain suspended until 5:29 AM IST on May 10. The airline has offered either a full refund or free rescheduling for affected passengers.
IndiGo, in its advisory, mentioned that flights to and from multiple locations, including Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, and Jodhpur, have been cancelled. It urged travelers to check flight updates regularly before heading to the airport.
SpiceJet confirmed the shutdown of several northern airports, such as Dharamshala, Leh, and Amritsar, and advised customers that departures, arrivals, and onward flights might face delays or cancellations. They are offering refunds or alternative bookings depending on availability.
Akasa Air has cancelled all its services to and from Srinagar for the day, while regional airline Star Air suspended flights from locations like Nanded, Hindon, Adampur, Kishangarh, and Bhuj.
Air India Express also announced the suspension of several flights, particularly those connecting to Jammu, Srinagar, Amritsar, and Hindon, at least until mid-day, citing operational constraints due to the developing situation.
Delhi airport operator DIAL confirmed that several services have been affected due to changes in airspace use and urged passengers to check their flight status.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways stated that it has temporarily halted flights to Pakistan due to the closure of Pakistani airspace.
The cancellations follow India’s missile operations targeting nine terrorist hubs across the border, including major bases of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke, in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
(With PTI inputs)
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