DGCA Warns of Flight Delays After Pakistan Airspace Closure

DGCA Warns of Flight Delays After Pakistan Airspace Closure

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a formal advisory to airlines and travelers after Pakistan closed parts of its airspace over security and military activity. This has triggered ripple effects on India–Asia and India–Europe air routes, with longer flight paths, potential delays, and operational reshuffles now in play.

For B2B travel agents, consolidators, and corporate travel planners, this update requires immediate attention—especially for clients flying over or into key impacted regions.

🌐 What Happened?

• In April 2025, Pakistan issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) temporarily restricting airspace over select northern zones

• Affected routes include overflights to Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and select Southeast Asian destinations

• Indian airlines including Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara have been issued directives to reroute or adjust flight paths
  

✈️ Which Routes Are Impacted?

✅ Most Affected:

• Delhi – London / Frankfurt / Paris

• Delhi – Dubai / Doha / Istanbul

• Amritsar / Ahmedabad – London / Toronto

• Mumbai – Europe (indirectly, due to rerouting via southern routes)

  
  

✅ Slightly Affected (via rerouting):

• Delhi – Bangkok / Singapore

• Kolkata – Dubai / Muscat

• Srinagar – International charters

  
  

⏱️ Expected Impact on Travelers

• Longer flight durations (15–45 mins extra depending on route)

• Higher fuel surcharges may follow if closure continues

• Slot rescheduling at key hubs like Dubai, Doha, London

• Late-night or early-morning departures may face cascading delays

  
  

📌 DGCA Advisory Highlights

• Airlines asked to review alternate flight paths proactively

• Travelers to be informed about changes at least 24 hours prior

• Airports instructed to provide on-ground support for delayed connections

• DGCA to monitor turnaround times and update air traffic notices weekly

🧳 How Travel Agents Should Respond

🔹 1. Check All Bookings Over West and North Routes

Audit FIT, corporate, and group bookings from April–May that include:

• Delhi/Amritsar departures

• Europe/Middle East stopovers

• Interline or codeshare connections

🔹 2. Reconfirm PNRs 24–48 Hours Before Departure

Partner with your consolidators or GDS teams to ensure:

• Route updates are reflected

• Meal preferences or seat selections remain valid post-rerouting

🔹 3. Inform & Educate Clients

Send proactive communication like:

“Due to temporary changes in airspace routing, your flight may experience delays. We’re monitoring updates and will keep you posted.”

🔹 4. Offer Flexible Rebooking or Cancellation Support

Especially for:

• Elderly passengers

• Students with strict reporting dates

• MICE departures on fixed schedules

🛫 Opportunities Amid the Disruption

• Promote South India–Asia routes (e.g., Chennai–Bangkok, Kochi–Doha) that avoid northern airspace

• Focus on non-affected regional trips: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives

• Offer alternate connections via Southeast Asia instead of West Asia

🔍 Agent Tips to Stay Ahead

Task

Tool

Track NOTAMs

DGCA website, FlightRadar24, airline ops bulletins

Fare monitoring

GDS fare watchers, consolidator WhatsApp alerts

Client alerts

Email templates, automated SMS tools

Manage risk

Offer trip insurance with delay/cancellation coverage

Final Thoughts

Airspace disruptions aren’t new—but in a hyper-connected travel market, real-time action by agents can save both revenue and reputation. As the Pakistan airspace situation unfolds, stay informed, stay transparent, and support clients proactively.

Because in travel, trust is built not when things go right—but when agents show up when things go wrong.