Several major international airlines, including Air France and Lufthansa, have started avoiding Pakistani airspace as tensions remain high between India and Pakistan following the Kashmir attack in February. This decision has affected flight times and routing across several routes connecting Europe to Asia.
Air France issued a statement confirming that it had “decided to suspend overflight of Pakistan until further notice,” referring to the “recent evolution of tensions” between the two countries. The airline adjusted its schedules for routes to destinations including Delhi, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh, which has resulted in longer flight durations.
In a report from Reuters, Lufthansa Group also confirmed that its carriers will “avoid Pakistani airspace until further notice.” The company acknowledged that the rerouting would extend flight times on several of its Asia-bound routes. Data from Flightradar24 showed that Lufthansa Flight LH760 from Frankfurt to New Delhi took nearly an hour longer on March 3, 2025, as it had to follow a longer path due to the diversion.
Swiss International Air Lines, which operates under the Lufthansa Group, also followed the same rerouting strategy. The airline has committed to rebooking passengers who miss their connecting flights at no extra cost.
British Airways and Emirates flights also avoided Pakistani airspace, instead taking paths over the Arabian Sea before heading north toward India. Although both carriers did not respond to media requests for confirmation, their flight paths were tracked on multiple platforms and showed clear deviations from regular routes.
Political and economic effects of rerouting
India responded to the escalating situation by closing its airspace to Pakistan’s airlines, and Pakistan implemented its own restrictions. It barred Indian-owned or operated flights from entering its airspace, suspended trade, and halted the issuance of special visas for Indian citizens. However, Pakistan continues to allow international carriers to use its airspace, though many are opting for alternative routes due to the security situation.
The current situation not only increases fuel costs and travel time for international carriers but may also impact Pakistan’s earnings from overflight fees. These charges vary by aircraft weight and route distance and can amount to several hundred dollars per flight. A reduction in overflights could lead to a dip in revenue for Pakistan, whose central bank holds $10.2 billion in reserves, enough to cover just two months of imports.
Independent aviation analyst Brendan Sobie commented, “It could have a significant impact on some foreign airlines who rely heavily on Pakistan airspace as well as for Pakistan given the loss of overflight revenues.”
The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan declined to give a statement when asked to comment on the situation.
In addition to the developments in South Asia, airlines also had to deal with disruptions in the Middle East. Several European and U.S. airlines canceled flights for several days after a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on March 2, 2025, landed near Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. This incident added more complexity to regional air travel already under strain due to the India-Pakistan conflict.
With international carriers closely monitoring the situation, many will continue to assess and adjust flight paths depending on future developments in the region.
