32 airports shut for civilian flight operations till May 15: DGCA

Civilian flight operations at 32 airports across northern and western India, including major terminals like Srinagar and Amritsar, have been suspended until May 15 due to escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced the temporary suspension early Saturday, citing “operational reasons” following a surge in cross-border hostilities. The move follows India’s airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan on May 7 and the subsequent retaliatory shelling by Pakistani forces.

According to the DGCA, the shutdown — effective from May 9 to 5:29 am on May 15 — is being enforced through a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) issued by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other aviation agencies.

Among the airports affected are Adhampur, Ambala, Amritsar, Awantipur, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hindon, and Jammu. Also included are Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Jodhpur, Kandla, Kangra (Gaggal), Keshod, Kishangarh, Kullu-Manali (Bhuntar), and Leh.

Other impacted airports are Ludhiana, Mundra, Naliya, Pathankot, Patiala, Porbandar, Rajkot (Hirasar), Sarsawa, Shimla, Srinagar, Thoise, and Uttarlai.

Previously, 24 airports had been closed for civilian flights until May 10. The updated list reflects a broader closure in light of the ongoing conflict.

Additionally, the DGCA has extended the suspension of 25 Air Traffic Service (ATS) route segments within the Delhi and Mumbai Flight Information Regions (FIRs). These airspace segments will remain closed from ground level to an unlimited altitude until 11:59 pm UTC on May 14 (5:29 am IST on May 15).

Airlines have been urged to reroute flights to ensure safety and reduce operational disruptions. Coordination with Air Traffic Control units is ongoing to manage airspace safely during this period, the DGCA added.

The airspace restrictions come in the wake of heightened tensions triggered by the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 dead. In response, India barred Pakistani airlines from its airspace on April 30. Pakistan had earlier closed its airspace to Indian carriers on April 24.

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Amid the restrictions, Air India announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it had cancelled flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhuj, Jamnagar, and Rajkot until May 15. IndiGo similarly confirmed the cancellation of flights to and from 10 destinations through the same date.

The escalating conflict follows India’s launch of *Operation Sindoor*, a targeted strike on nine terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), in retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre.

(With inputs from PTI)