United and American Pull Delhi Routes Amid Sudden India‑Pakistan Airspace Clash


Skift Take

With key airports closed and flights canceled, the worry now is how far the disruption could spread — and how long it might last.

After tensions escalated between India and Pakistan, India has so far shut down 27 major airports in north, west and central parts of the country until Friday, May 9. These include Chandigarh, Srinagar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Shimla, Bhatinda, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jammu, Leh, Rajkot, Pathankot, Bhuj, Gwalior, Hindon and more. 

India also closed about 25 flight routes that allow planes to enter Pakistan from the Indian airspace. This means that foreign carriers flying the Pakistan airspace after exiting India will also now have to take longer routes to their destinations.

Both United and American Airlines canceled their flights to Delhi on Wednesday with United saying that it would monitor the situation and take calls on future flights as more information becomes available. 

Throughout the day, travel players including airlines and online travel agencies kept issuing advisories for travelers. While online travel agencies EaseMyTr