HomeLatestMumbai airspace jammed as Pakistan shut borders
Mumbai airspace jammed as Pakistan shut borders
The Mumbai Air Traffic Control (ATC) is witnessing a significant rise in air traffic as international flights reroute to avoid Pakistani airspace, which has been closed since April 24.
This disruption follows escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Sources in the aviation sector revealed that, in addition to managing departures and arrivals from Mumbai bound for Europe and the Americas, the city’s ATC is now guiding aircraft from Northern India headed in the same directions. These flights earlier bypassed Mumbai by travelling along the Bhopal-Ahmedabad-Karachi corridor to reach Muscat and beyond. “Now, all those flights are entering Mumbai airspace via Ahmedabad to avoid the Pakistani zone,” a senior official said. On average, Mumbai handles between 950 to 970 scheduled and unscheduled movements daily, along with around 2,000 overflying flights. This number has spiked significantly in recent days.
Flight volumes have also increased due to a shutdown of 25 key flight corridors over Indian airspace that previously allowed aircraft to cross into Pakistan. The shutdown came after India’s armed forces launched missile strikes targeting terror infrastructure across the border. Additionally, aircraft originating from Southeast Asia and destined for the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas—roughly 250 daily flights—are now being rerouted over Mumbai instead of transiting through Pakistani skies. The rerouting is being adopted by both commercial carriers and international chartered operators. Foreign airlines have also started filing revised flight plans to include the Mumbai corridor as they seek to avoid Pakistani airspace due to the unstable regional situation.
As the diplomatic standoff persists, India’s aviation infrastructure, particularly in Mumbai, is facing mounting operational pressure, with ATC teams working extended hours to manage the redirected international traffic.
Mumbai airspace jammed as Pakistan shut borders
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