New Delhi: Pakistan on Friday has deferred opening of its airspace to 1:30 pm (India time) next Monday (March 4). This means all west-bound flights to and from north India, which mainly affects Delhi, and air traffic between Southeast Asia on side and west, including Gulf, will need to keep taking the longer route via Mumbai-Muscat-Persian Gulf for three more days.
A notice to airmen (Notam) issued by Pakistan’s civil aviation authority earlier had said its airspace, which has been closed since Wednesday, would reopen at 1:30 pm (IST) on Friday. But another Notam issued today deferred the same to Monday.
The prolonged airspace closure will mean continued increased flying time for passengers. Flying between north India, with Delhi its busiest hub, and the west is now taking anywhere from one hour (for Gulf); 1.5 hours (for Europe) and three hours (for US) more. The closure of Pakistan airspace has meant flights between north India and the west are going close to Mumbai and Ahmedabad; then turning right over the Arabian Sea to head to Muscat and then fly to their destination. This has meant an extra hour and 1.5 hours for Delhi-Dubai and Delhi-Europe, sectors respectively.
Air India’s non-stops between Delhi and east coast of US are, in addition, now taking a fuelling stop that will mean an extra flying time of two hours and about an hour of fuelling stopover — a total addition of over three hours. On their way out, they will have a fuelling stop in Ahmedabad. On way back home, they will stop for refuelling in Dubai and Sharjah.
01/03/19 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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A notice to airmen (Notam) issued by Pakistan’s civil aviation authority earlier had said its airspace, which has been closed since Wednesday, would reopen at 1:30 pm (IST) on Friday. But another Notam issued today deferred the same to Monday.
The prolonged airspace closure will mean continued increased flying time for passengers. Flying between north India, with Delhi its busiest hub, and the west is now taking anywhere from one hour (for Gulf); 1.5 hours (for Europe) and three hours (for US) more. The closure of Pakistan airspace has meant flights between north India and the west are going close to Mumbai and Ahmedabad; then turning right over the Arabian Sea to head to Muscat and then fly to their destination. This has meant an extra hour and 1.5 hours for Delhi-Dubai and Delhi-Europe, sectors respectively.
Air India’s non-stops between Delhi and east coast of US are, in addition, now taking a fuelling stop that will mean an extra flying time of two hours and about an hour of fuelling stopover — a total addition of over three hours. On their way out, they will have a fuelling stop in Ahmedabad. On way back home, they will stop for refuelling in Dubai and Sharjah.
01/03/19 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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