Srinagar, May 12, 2025 – Srinagar International Airport welcomed the return of commercial flights today, ending a five-day suspension triggered by escalating India-Pakistan tensions. The closure, which affected 32 airports across northern and western India, was enforced on May 7 following India’s Operation Sindoor, a military strike targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) confirmed the resumption, with airlines resuming services after a US-mediated ceasefire took effect on May 10, 2025.
The first commercial flight, an IndiGo service from Delhi, touched down at Srinagar at approximately 10:30 AM, signaling a return to normalcy for the region’s busiest airport. “Flight operations have resumed today after clearance from authorities. We are coordinating with airlines to ensure smooth scheduling,” an AAI spokesperson said. Airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa Air have reopened bookings, though passengers are advised to verify flight statuses due to potential disruptions as operations stabilize.
The suspension, necessitated by the Indian Air Force’s prioritization of military operations, halted civilian flights at strategic airports, including Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Amritsar, and Chandigarh. Srinagar International Airport, handling 35-50 daily flights and over 4.4 million passengers annually, was fully closed to civilian traffic due to its proximity to the Line of Control. The ceasefire, halting four days of cross-border shelling that killed 18 civilians and seven security personnel, including BSF Constable Deepak Chingakham, paved the way for airspace reopening.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have been at the forefront of relief efforts. Sinha visited displaced families at a Jammu shelter, met the kin of a civilian killed in R S Pura, and inspected Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital to ensure care for over 50 injured in Pakistan’s shelling. Abdullah, joined by advisor Nasir Aslam Wani and MLA Ajaz Jan, consoled families in Poonch, pushing for bunker construction and ex-gratia payments of ₹10 lakh for victims’ kin. The shelling devastated homes, schools, and religious sites, displacing thousands in Jammu, Poonch, and Rajouri.
The resumption of flights is a critical step toward restoring connectivity and economic activity in Jammu and Kashmir, though security remains heightened amid lingering border tensions and Manipur’s ethnic strife, which has deepened the impact of Chingakham’s martyrdom. Airlines are working to clear backlogs, with Srinagar airport expected to return to full capacity soon. Travelers are encouraged to check updates via airline platforms or tools like Flightradar24 for real-time information.
