Srinagar, May 8, 2025 – Srinagar International Airport, alongside multiple airports in northern and western India, has been temporarily closed for civilian operations due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. The closures follow India’s military operation, “Operation Sindoor,” targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, 2025, in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, that killed 26 people, including 25 Indian civilians and one Nepali tourist.
The India-Pakistan conflict intensified after the Pahalgam attack, which India linked to Pakistan-based terror groups. India’s precision missile strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and PoK prompted Pakistan to condemn the action and report 31 deaths, including civilians, while claiming to have downed Indian drones and warplanes. Cross-border shelling along the Line of Control in Kashmir has further heightened the crisis.
Srinagar International Airport, officially Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport, is closed to civilian flights until at least 5:29 AM on May 10, 2025, with daily reviews. The closure extends to 25 airports in northern and western India, including Jammu, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Jodhpur, though they remain operational for defense flights. Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet have canceled flights to affected airports, with Air India halting services to Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, and others until May 10. IndiGo reported 165 cancellations, and SpiceJet suspended operations to multiple destinations. Over 430 flights, 3% of India’s daily schedule, were canceled on May 7.
Pakistan’s aviation sector is also disrupted, with all flights from Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot suspended until Thursday night, May 8, and 147 flights canceled. International airlines like Air France, Lufthansa, and United Airlines have rerouted or canceled flights to avoid Pakistani airspace. Flightradar24 shows minimal civilian air traffic north of Delhi, in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Pakistan, as carriers detour over Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
The closures have stranded thousands, including Haj pilgrims from Srinagar. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged calm, noting that schools in Jammu and Srinagar remain open. The economic toll is significant, with Air India projecting $600 million in losses over 12 months if Pakistan’s airspace ban persists, and Pakistan International Airlines facing costly rerouting. Mutual airspace bans have turned the skies into a conflict zone, raising escalation fears.
The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation is coordinating with airlines, offering passengers refunds or rescheduling. The situation remains fluid, with no confirmed timeline for resuming civilian operations at Srinagar and other airports.
