Over 200 flights were grounded, and at least 18 airports, including Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, and Chandigarh, were temporarily closed on Wednesday following missile strikes by Indian military forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).

The Indian forces targeted nine terror strongholds, including Jaish-e-Mohammad’s base in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s facility in Muridke, in retaliation for the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.

Air travel disruption was immediate and widespread, with several northern and western airports such as Jammu, Pathankot, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer halting operations amid tighter security measures.

Carriers like Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and international airlines had to cancel services to and from these affected regions. IndiGo alone scrapped around 165 flights, with 35 cancellations impacting Delhi, including 23 domestic and 12 international flights.

Air India, in an official statement, declared suspensions of flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot until May 10. Passengers were offered rescheduling or full refunds.

IndiGo and SpiceJet followed suit, halting operations at northern airports like Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, and Leh, urging passengers to check for real-time updates. Akasa Air also canceled all its Srinagar flights, while Star Air and Air India Express reported several cancellations on their networks.

Airports like Delhi International Airport warned of potential flight disruptions due to shifting airspace conditions. The ripple effect was felt internationally as Qatar Airways suspended flights to Pakistan, citing the closure of Pakistani airspace.

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