32 airports to remain shut for civilian flights till May 15 amid ongoing Indo-Pak tensions

Amid escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has announced the temporary closure of 32 airports in northern and western India for civilian flight operations until May 15.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI), in coordination with aviation regulators, issued a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) indicating that airports including Srinagar, Amritsar, Jammu, Chandigarh, and Leh will remain closed from May 9 until 5:29 am on May 15. This move follows the May 7 Indian strikes on terror camps and subsequent retaliatory shelling by Pakistan.

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Key airports affected include Adhampur, Ambala, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Halwara, Hindon, Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra, Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu Manali, Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot, Sarsawa, Shimla, Thoise, and Uttarlai.

The DGCA also announced the continued suspension of 25 Air Traffic Service (ATS) route segments within the Delhi and Mumbai Flight Information Regions due to operational constraints. These air corridors will remain closed up to an unlimited altitude until 5:29 am on May 15.

Airlines have been advised to plan alternate routes, and Air India confirmed cancellations on affected routes including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, and Amritsar.

This follows reciprocal airspace closures after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.