Flight operations by IndiGo and Air India to several northern and western Indian cities have been halted for May 13, following tightened airspace protocols and security concerns in light of escalating tensions with Pakistan.
IndiGo has called off all its flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, and Rajkot through the end of Saturday. The airline acknowledged the inconvenience caused to passengers, stating, “We regret the disruption to your plans. Our teams are closely tracking the situation and will share updates as they come.”
Air India also suspended round-trip services to multiple destinations, including Jammu, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot. In a message on X (formerly Twitter), the national carrier emphasized that safety was the priority, noting, “Given the current developments, and in the interest of your safety, operations to and from the above cities are suspended for May 13. We continue to monitor the situation closely.”
Earlier, on Monday evening, an IndiGo flight heading to Amritsar was rerouted back to Delhi after blackout protocols were suddenly implemented in the Amritsar area, according to a PTI report.
These disruptions come amid reports of drone sightings in sensitive regions, including Samba, Akhnoor, Jaisalmer, and Kathua. However, the Indian Army clarified on Tuesday, via ANI, that there had been no recent drone activity and that the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan remains intact.
Despite the Airports Authority of India (AAI) reopening affected airports on Monday, airlines are opting for caution.
Air India noted that it is preparing to resume services in stages. “With the issuance of a fresh advisory reopening the airports, Air India is working on gradually restoring operations to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot,” the airline shared in a public update. “We thank passengers for their patience and cooperation.”
Meanwhile, Indian air defence units reported engaging a limited number of drones that crossed into the Samba sector. Nighttime explosions and streaks of light were visible in the area as military systems responded. Army officials reassured that while the situation is under close observation, there is currently no cause for alarm.