Pakistan has extended its airspace ban for Indian aircraft until October 24, according to a Notice to Airmen (Notam) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA). The previous extension of the ban was set to expire on September 24.“Pakistan airspace not available for Indian registered aircraft and aircraft operated/owned or leased by Indian airlines/operators, including military flights,” the Notam said. According to the notice, the extension came into effect at 10:45am on Wednesday and will remain until 04:59am on Oct 24, 2026.

The country’s airspace is divided into two flight information regions (FIRs) Karachi and Lahore, according to a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) document from 2022. Wednesday’s Notam applies to both the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) FIRs.India and Pakistan closed their airspaces to each other’s airlines in late April 2025, when tensions between them escalated in the wake of a deadly attack in India-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

On April 24, Pakistan’s top brass had announced a series of measures, including the closure of its airspace to all India-owned or Indian-operated airlines with immediate effect, as it retaliated against New Delhi’s slew of aggressive measures against the country.New Delhi, without evidence, had alleged that Islamabad backed the Pahalgam attack. However, Pakistan had strongly denied any involvement and offered a neutral probe. The nuclear powers had the fiercest air battle in May, in which Pakistan said it downed seven Indian fighter jets.

Since then, Pakistan has extended the airspace ban several times, forcing Indian carriers to use longer and costlier routes.For Air India, the country’s only carrier with a major international network, fuel costs rose by as much as 29 per cent and journey times by up to three hours on some long-haul routes, according to a document submitted to Indian officials last October.The airline, owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, estimated the Pakistan airspace closure’s impact on its profit before tax at $455 million annually a significant amount given its fiscal 2024-25 loss stood at $439m.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)