SRINAGAR, May 15, 2025 — Hajj flights from Srinagar Airport restarted on May 14, 2025, after a six-day halt due to India-Pakistan tensions. The resumption enabled 642 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to travel to Medina, Saudi Arabia, for the sacred Hajj pilgrimage, signalling a return to normalcy.
The suspension began on May 7, following India’s Operation Sindoor, a military strike targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the April 22 Pahalgam attack. This led to the closure of 32 airports, including Srinagar, disrupting all civilian flights. A ceasefire on May 10 allowed the airport to reopen on May 13, with Hajj and commercial flights resuming soon after.
Four flights operated from Srinagar to Delhi on Wednesday, connecting to two Medina-bound flights. Shujaat Ahmad Qureshi, J&K Haj Committee Executive Officer, confirmed the departures and said efforts are underway to reschedule seven cancelled flights. Of the 3,622 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir and 242 from Ladakh set to perform Hajj, three flights are planned for May 14 and 15 to address the backlog.
SpiceJet resumed operations with Airbus A340 aircraft, each carrying 324 passengers to Medina. IndiGo and Air India also restored commercial flights to Srinagar. “It’s a privilege to facilitate this holy journey,” a SpiceJet official said, reflecting the relief among pilgrims.
The restart comes amid broader stabilization, with schools and colleges in non-border areas reopening. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who launched the first Hajj batch of 178 pilgrims on May 4, praised the resumption and called for more flights to ensure all pilgrims can travel. With Hajj 2025 expected between June 4 and 9, authorities aim to streamline operations for the region’s 3,864 pilgrims within India’s 175,025 quota.
