All 22 flights cancelled, city airport shut till May 10

Along with many other airports that were temporarily shut for operations in the aftermath of the military attack on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’, flight operations at Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport in Amritsar were also suspended leading to cancellation and diversion.

All 22 flights have been cancelled, said the police authorities.

The international airport is located just 20 km from the Indo-Pak border.

The cancellation of flights left several passengers harried though airport authorities and officials of the local administration said that the passengers were informed on time about the temporary shutting of operations in wake of escalating tension between the two countries after the attack on terror camps.

Qatar Airways flight, which was en route from Doha to Amritsar, was rerouted mid-air and diverted toward Muscat airport in Oman after being denied access to Pakistani airspace. The flight was originally scheduled to land in Amritsar at 2:10 am. In addition, a SpiceJet flight arriving from Sharjah to Amritsar was also cancelled due to the unfolding situation.

Airport authorities advised the passengers to check the status of their flights with the respective airlines before heading to the airport.

“It is intimated to all concerned that all commercial/civil domestic and international flight operations are suspended from Amritsar airport till 5.30 am on May 10,” said Amritsar airport authorities on X.

Neeraj Kumar, who lives in London, said that he had come to Kapurthala to see his ailing father who is on deathbed.

“I came on Friday and today I had to fly back to London, but due to the current situation, I am stranded here,” he said while backing the Indian government’s decision to target terror camps in Pakistan.

Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Bathinda, said that he arrived at the airport to pick up his mother-in-law Jaswinder Kaur who was returning from the UK after six months.

“We came to know about the shutting of airport after reaching here since midnight. We did not have any prior message. The airport authorities were telling us that flights had been diverted to Delhi. We really don’t know where she is currently as her mobile was switched off,” he said.

Meanwhile, the security at the airport has been increased. Senior police officials were deputed at the entrance.

Sirivennela, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) said, “All 22 flight operations at the airport have been shut till further orders and passengers informed about this on time.”

Amritsar