Pakistan Extends Airspace Ban on Indian Aircraft Until November 24
Pakistan has extended its airspace ban on Indian aircraft for another month, keeping Indian airlines out of its skies until November 24. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a fresh Notice to Airmen (Notam) on Saturday evening, renewing a restriction that has stayed in place since April 2025.
The notice took effect at 7:45pm on Saturday and will remain in force until 4:59am on November 24, 2026.
What the new Notam covers
The notice bars Indian-registered aircraft, and any aircraft owned, operated or leased by Indian airlines and operators, from Pakistani airspace. It also covers military flights.
The restriction applies to both of Pakistan’s flight information regions: Karachi and Lahore. The previous extension was set to expire on October 24, so the new Notam lands just in time to avoid any gap in the restriction.
How the Pakistan airspace ban reached this point
Pakistan first closed its airspace to Indian aircraft on April 24, 2025, after relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply in the wake of the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of backing the attack, an allegation Islamabad denied while offering a neutral investigation. The airspace ban is one of several pressure points in the standoff, alongside the dispute over the Indus Waters Treaty.
India answered with a matching restriction on April 30, 2025, closing its airspace to Pakistani airlines.
Tensions then escalated into open military confrontation in May 2025. Pakistan said it shot down several Indian fighter jets during the fighting, and the two countries agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the United States on May 10.
Since then, the Pakistan Airports Authority has renewed the airspace ban about once a month. A specialist aviation tracker notes that Saturday’s notice is the 18th consecutive monthly Notam in the series, with the first issued on April 24, 2025.
What the closure costs Indian airlines
The extended closure has added real costs for Indian carriers, which must route long-haul flights around Pakistani airspace. Air India, the only Indian carrier with a large international network, has felt the biggest pinch. In a document it submitted to Indian officials last October, the airline said fuel costs on some long-haul routes had risen by as much as 29 per cent, while journey times had grown by up to three hours. It estimated the annual hit to its profit before tax at $455 million.
The restriction has not all gone one way. The shifting traffic patterns have also lifted Pakistan’s own airspace earnings.
Geo News has also noted that Pakistan has used this tool before — during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis — and that those episodes created greater operational problems for Indian airlines than for Pakistani carriers.
What happens next
Nothing suggests the restriction will end soon. Relations show no sign of warming: the military’s top leadership has again warned adversaries against any miscalculation, border tensions flared again along the Kurram frontier earlier this month, and Washington is now leaning more on Islamabad than on New Delhi in the region. Aviation watchers expect another renewal notice before November 24, keeping the month-by-month cycle in place until the political picture changes.
FAQ
Until when is Pakistani airspace closed to Indian aircraft?
The current Notam runs until 4:59am on November 24, 2026.
Which aircraft does the ban cover?
Indian-registered aircraft, aircraft owned, operated or leased by Indian airlines or operators, and military flights.
When did Pakistan first close its airspace to Indian aircraft?
On April 24, 2025, following the Pahalgam attack and the diplomatic fallout around it.
Does India restrict Pakistani airlines too?
Yes. India closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines on April 30, 2025, in a reciprocal move.
Why has the ban lasted this long?
Each monthly Notam replaces the previous one before it expires, so there has been no gap in the restriction since April 2025.
