Long delays, hiked price, cancelled flights: How Pakistan airspace closure has disrupted air travel

[Imran Khan]

meanwhile in India .

they should take bed rest after been beaten badly and injured

 

[AfrazulMandal]

Long delays, hiked price, cancelled flights: How Pakistan airspace closure has disrupted air travel
Nearly 350 commercial and cargo flights are affected each day as Pakistan closed its airspace after airstrikes in Balakaot by the Indian Air Force.

Reuters
New Delhi
April 27, 2019
UPDATED: April 27, 2019 15:18 IST

Closure of Pakistan's airspace is forcing international airlines to take costly and time-consuming detours. (Photo: Reuters)
Pakistan continues to restrict its airspace after an airstrike in late February by the Indian Air Force in Balakot in northern Pakistan. The disruption is forcing international airlines to take costly and time-consuming detours to the north and south, adding flight time for passengers and fuel costs for airlines.

Hundreds of commercial and cargo flights are affected each day. Reuters counted 311 such flights between four airports in Europe and four in Southeast Asia.

Pakistan lies in the middle of a vital aviation corridor. In the week before the air space was closed, almost all the flights analysed passed directly over Pakistan, some coming extremely close the Kashmir region - the epicentre of tensions with India - including aircraft operated by Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa and Thai Airways, according to flight tracking service FlightRadar24. Routes that run through Pakistan on a north-south axis are not affected.


Source: Reuters
OPSGROUP, which monitors international flight operations, used International Civil Aviation Organisation data to calculate that the closed airspace was affecting as many as 350 flights daily. Most rerouted as far south as Oman's airspace, the group said.

Flight information regions (FIR) are how airspace is divided up for control. Pakistan has two: Karachi and Lahore. They, and the Kabul FIR, have seen a notable drop in air traffic since the conflict. Muscat, however, has seen an increase.


Source: Reuters
Day of the closure

On the day Pakistan closed its airspace, some flights turned back or diverted to other destinations, according to data from FlightRadar24.

Later that day, a large hole emerged in aviation traffic over Pakistan. Where hundreds of aircraft used to fly, the sky was now empty. Instead, a build-up of aircraft could be seen farther south.


Source: Reuters
Flights between Europe and Southeast Asia are still suffering from the disruption. The group of 311 flights that Reuters analysed has taken different routes to avoid Pakistan, according to FlightRadar24.

OPSGROUP calculates that routing south to Oman, passing through the Muscat flight information region, adds about 280 miles (451 kilometres) to a flight from London to Singapore and 410 miles from Paris to Bangkok.


Source: Reuters
Lengthy delays

Reuters analysed flight time data from FlightRadar24 for several routes from Europe to Southeast Asia. For each individual route, 14 flights prior to Feb. 27, the day air space was closed, were compared to 14 recent flights prior to April 9.
Some flights are consistently delayed. KLM, Lufthansa and Thai Airways flights are taking up to two hours longer than before the air space was closed.

Flights from London to Singapore are also affected, but not as severely. Flights can take up to an hour longer compared with the same route before the conflict.

"We continue to operate all our flights. Like all airlines flying to and from Asia, we are rerouting around Pakistani airspace, and this will lead to minor delays for a handful of flights," a British Airways representative told Reuters.

KLM said it was restricting aircraft weight and adjusting fuel loads to compensate for longer routes.

However, flights from Southeast Asia to Europe seemed to avoid notable delays. According to Singapore Airlines, that is mostly thanks to tailwinds.

"We face less headwinds on the way up to Europe (compared with the route that goes through Pakistani airspace) while we catch less tailwinds when coming back to Singapore," a representative said, adding that the airline had imposed no weight restrictions.

"That said, the difference in flight time will narrow as we gradually move into the summer season."

India also badly affected

Previously, flights from Delhi would cross directly into Pakistan if travelling to Europe. Now, they must go south of Pakistan before returning to their pre-conflict routes.

Reuters mapped all 34 flights between Delhi and Amsterdam in both directions, from February 19-26 and April 3-9, using data from Flightradar24.


Source: Reuters
According to Reuters calculations of the 34 flights, their southerly detour adds an average of 913 km when compared with the flights from April, a 22 per cent increase.

The flights in April also took up to two hours longer when compared with before the airspace was closed.

Air India said about 21 flights a day were affected, including routes to the Middle East, Europe and the United States. Rerouting, which could include stops for fuel and crew changes, add one to three hours to flights to Europe and the United States, the airline said, and to save weight, passengers are not allowed as much baggage.

An airline spokesman noted that even leaving fuel costs aside, longer flights meant aircraft could not be used to generate revenue elsewhere.

David Mumford of OPSGROUP said aircraft traveling from Delhi to Moscow or London were examples of this impact.

"Those are quite hefty re-routes to avoid Pakistan's airspace - and those are just two examples of hundreds of flights each week which have to do something similar," he said in an email.

Uncertainty prevails

It is unclear when or whether Pakistan will remove restrictions from its airspace, although a senior Civil Aviation official told Reuters that "these routes will remain closed until the elections in India are over."

But with fuel the single biggest cost for airlines, rerouting is potentially hurting their bottom lines.

"With these restrictions having been in place since the end of February, I would certainly expect the extra fuel cost overall to be well into the millions by now," Mumford said.

"We don't see any of the main restrictions ending any time soon."


https://www.indiatoday.in/world/sto...Gfp-kRQyQgrt-2bWequRzsIkRYP3YXznV2ILJOLRHHAx4

Our economy is suffering billions in damages due to one man's 56 inch chest.

Just accepting defeat would have avoided all this.

 

[jetray]

they should take bed rest after been beaten badly and injured

we will take some rest & massage too. Mean while you can be awake for 24/7.

 

[Kaniska]

Our economy is suffering billions in damages due to one man's 56 inch chest.

Just accepting defeat would have avoided all this.

Well ...What is to be avoided here?? Our economy is doing perfectly fine...At least we are not in a situation to ask for loans... We have issue with Pakistan...So rather taking a short cut, we should be prepared to plan our airline statergy by avoiding Pakistan...It isa good oppertunity to prepare our aviation industry to have a back up plan...

 

[Imran Khan]

we will take some rest & massage too. Mean while you can be awake for 24/7.

ahhahahh yeah sure we have no issue to be awake 24/7 . humara koi chukidar kuta bhi nhi hai na

 

[SrNair]

Long delays, hiked price, cancelled flights: How Pakistan airspace closure has disrupted air travel
Nearly 350 commercial and cargo flights are affected each day as Pakistan closed its airspace after airstrikes in Balakaot by the Indian Air Force.

Reuters
New Delhi
April 27, 2019
UPDATED: April 27, 2019 15:18 IST

Closure of Pakistan's airspace is forcing international airlines to take costly and time-consuming detours. (Photo: Reuters)
Pakistan continues to restrict its airspace after an airstrike in late February by the Indian Air Force in Balakot in northern Pakistan. The disruption is forcing international airlines to take costly and time-consuming detours to the north and south, adding flight time for passengers and fuel costs for airlines.

Hundreds of commercial and cargo flights are affected each day. Reuters counted 311 such flights between four airports in Europe and four in Southeast Asia.

Pakistan lies in the middle of a vital aviation corridor. In the week before the air space was closed, almost all the flights analysed passed directly over Pakistan, some coming extremely close the Kashmir region - the epicentre of tensions with India - including aircraft operated by Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa and Thai Airways, according to flight tracking service FlightRadar24. Routes that run through Pakistan on a north-south axis are not affected.


Source: Reuters
OPSGROUP, which monitors international flight operations, used International Civil Aviation Organisation data to calculate that the closed airspace was affecting as many as 350 flights daily. Most rerouted as far south as Oman's airspace, the group said.

Flight information regions (FIR) are how airspace is divided up for control. Pakistan has two: Karachi and Lahore. They, and the Kabul FIR, have seen a notable drop in air traffic since the conflict. Muscat, however, has seen an increase.


Source: Reuters
Day of the closure

On the day Pakistan closed its airspace, some flights turned back or diverted to other destinations, according to data from FlightRadar24.

Later that day, a large hole emerged in aviation traffic over Pakistan. Where hundreds of aircraft used to fly, the sky was now empty. Instead, a build-up of aircraft could be seen farther south.


Source: Reuters
Flights between Europe and Southeast Asia are still suffering from the disruption. The group of 311 flights that Reuters analysed has taken different routes to avoid Pakistan, according to FlightRadar24.

OPSGROUP calculates that routing south to Oman, passing through the Muscat flight information region, adds about 280 miles (451 kilometres) to a flight from London to Singapore and 410 miles from Paris to Bangkok.


Source: Reuters
Lengthy delays

Reuters analysed flight time data from FlightRadar24 for several routes from Europe to Southeast Asia. For each individual route, 14 flights prior to Feb. 27, the day air space was closed, were compared to 14 recent flights prior to April 9.
Some flights are consistently delayed. KLM, Lufthansa and Thai Airways flights are taking up to two hours longer than before the air space was closed.

Flights from London to Singapore are also affected, but not as severely. Flights can take up to an hour longer compared with the same route before the conflict.

"We continue to operate all our flights. Like all airlines flying to and from Asia, we are rerouting around Pakistani airspace, and this will lead to minor delays for a handful of flights," a British Airways representative told Reuters.

KLM said it was restricting aircraft weight and adjusting fuel loads to compensate for longer routes.

However, flights from Southeast Asia to Europe seemed to avoid notable delays. According to Singapore Airlines, that is mostly thanks to tailwinds.

"We face less headwinds on the way up to Europe (compared with the route that goes through Pakistani airspace) while we catch less tailwinds when coming back to Singapore," a representative said, adding that the airline had imposed no weight restrictions.

"That said, the difference in flight time will narrow as we gradually move into the summer season."

India also badly affected

Previously, flights from Delhi would cross directly into Pakistan if travelling to Europe. Now, they must go south of Pakistan before returning to their pre-conflict routes.

Reuters mapped all 34 flights between Delhi and Amsterdam in both directions, from February 19-26 and April 3-9, using data from Flightradar24.


Source: Reuters
According to Reuters calculations of the 34 flights, their southerly detour adds an average of 913 km when compared with the flights from April, a 22 per cent increase.

The flights in April also took up to two hours longer when compared with before the airspace was closed.

Air India said about 21 flights a day were affected, including routes to the Middle East, Europe and the United States. Rerouting, which could include stops for fuel and crew changes, add one to three hours to flights to Europe and the United States, the airline said, and to save weight, passengers are not allowed as much baggage.

An airline spokesman noted that even leaving fuel costs aside, longer flights meant aircraft could not be used to generate revenue elsewhere.

David Mumford of OPSGROUP said aircraft traveling from Delhi to Moscow or London were examples of this impact.

"Those are quite hefty re-routes to avoid Pakistan's airspace - and those are just two examples of hundreds of flights each week which have to do something similar," he said in an email.

Uncertainty prevails

It is unclear when or whether Pakistan will remove restrictions from its airspace, although a senior Civil Aviation official told Reuters that "these routes will remain closed until the elections in India are over."

But with fuel the single biggest cost for airlines, rerouting is potentially hurting their bottom lines.

"With these restrictions having been in place since the end of February, I would certainly expect the extra fuel cost overall to be well into the millions by now," Mumford said.

"We don't see any of the main restrictions ending any time soon."


https://www.indiatoday.in/world/sto...Gfp-kRQyQgrt-2bWequRzsIkRYP3YXznV2ILJOLRHHAx4

So be it.
India dont have that much issue anyway.
This rerouting would later familiar and accomodate .

About international airlines ,who cares ?

 

[Imran Khan]

So be it.
India dont have that much issue anyway.
This rerouting would later familiar and accomodate .

About international airlines ,who cares ?

only on pdf ? this news is from india

 

[SrNair]

these guys are reason of closure

If a nation decide to close airspace other nations cant do anything .
A single jet would be enough for that.

These SAM was nowhere when our jets roamed inside Pak airspace

only on pdf ? this news is from india

So ?
India can absorb whatever little thing they can do by closing airspace.

real issue is Pakistan will not let the security to go . our SAMs are ready since 27 but no one come to avenge abhinandan. now even Indians admitting they have not take it light after 26 attack . we are fully ready batteries are active missiles are one touch away to be fired now . this is best thing paksitan did in last 20 years .

Abhinandan already cleared his debts at that instant when he shot the F 16.
Within one day he arrived here.

 

[Imran Khan]

If a nation decide to close airspace other nations cant do anything .
A single jet would be enough for that.

These SAM was nowhere when our jets roamed inside Pak airspace




So ?
India can absorb whatever little thing they can do by closing airspace.

already explained why did not used sam on 26 . BTW since we beat your AF never see them back because of these same sam and amraams

india is suffering and crying too this news is an example no matter what fan boys say on internet

If a nation decide to close airspace other nations cant do anything .
A single jet would be enough for that.

These SAM was nowhere when our jets roamed inside Pak airspace




So ?
India can absorb whatever little thing they can do by closing airspace.



Abhinandan already cleared his debts at that instant when he shot the F 16.
Within one day he arrived here.

yahoo f-16 victory day lets celebrate

here is war trophy of india

 

[SrNair]

already explained why did not used sam on 26 . BTW since we beat your AF never see them back because of these same sam and amraams

india is suffering and crying too this news is an example no matter what fan boys say on internet


yahoo f-16 victory day lets celebrate

here is war trophy of india

We are still waiting where is the counter story after IAF released Radar pictures .

Somebody in Pak Govt still remembers the movement of Western fleet of Indian Navy

 

[Imran Khan]

We are still waiting where is the counter story after IAF released Radar pictures .

Somebody in Pak Govt still remembers the movement of Western fleet of Indian Navy

We are still waiting where is the counter story after IAF released Radar pictures .

Somebody in Pak Govt still remembers the movement of Western fleet of Indian Navy

ahahha man you have done already now licking wounds and tearing is your fate . 27 was worse day you never thought of .

did you guys court marshaled those whom shot down mi-17 and killed 6 officers onboard or not yet ?

 

[newb3e]

ahhahahh yeah sure we have no issue to be awake 24/7 . humara koi chukidar kuta bhi nhi hai na

View attachment 556477

enjoy khan sabh!

 

[Imran Khan]

We are still waiting where is the counter story after IAF released Radar pictures .

Somebody in Pak Govt still remembers the movement of Western fleet of Indian Navy

 

[Lincoln]

We are still waiting where is the counter story after IAF released Radar pictures .

Somebody in Pak Govt still remembers the movement of Western fleet of Indian Navy

Those Radar pictures are clearly composites, a reproduction, and a complete joke.

Even if we assume it is true.
Inability to track a jet does not mean it was most definitely shot down. It could have employed electronic counter measures, or even made immediate use of the terrain to avoid detection.
The reality is that there are many possible explanations, but these are simply just a single shot at a discrete time and not continuous. We don't know if signature re appeared, if Mig-21 signature disappeared, what the vector of the jet was, or if even the electronic signature was s F-16.
In other words, it's not evidence, and any analyst or expert on the topic would tell you that nothing can be determined.

Our counter story for what, you guys have yet to provide your own "irrefutable" counter story. Remember Foreign Policy, remember Asia Times, or maybe the best evidence, all 4 missiles salvaged from wreck, with a full video HD of the wreck where you can identify all 4 missile wrecks. Dear, you can't counter that because that is truly irrefutable.

Keep trying though. You may just fool yourself once more.

Edit: Oh, we all do. We were all watching cricket, and later some people were out literally enjoying the environment.
Any people would take pre cautions when they feel a threat exists. The creation of the pre cautious conditions due to your Navy isn't something to gloat about, India should be rather embarrassed that your Navy mobilized, and they got a response that they couldn't even muster up the will to cross the maritime border. IAF, Navy both technologically so ahead, yet so useless

 

[SrNair]

ahahha man you have done already now licking wounds and tearing is your fate . 27 was worse day you never thought of .

did you guys court marshaled those whom shot down mi-17 and killed 6 officers onboard or not yet ?

Troll as much you want .
Nightmare of Feb 26 is still didnt get over for some people in Pakistan .
That is why still airspace is closed .

That too even after around 2 months .
Pathetic .
But we dont even have an alert in our airspace .
And that is the confidence level

Those Radar pictures are clearly composites, a reproduction, and a complete joke.

Even if we assume it is true.
Inability to track a jet does not mean it was most definitely shot down. It could have employed electronic counter measures, or even made immediate use of the terrain to avoid detection.
The reality is that there are many possible explanations, but these are simply just a single shot at a discrete time and not continuous. We don't know if signature re appeared, if Mig-21 signature disappeared, what the vector of the jet was, or if even the electronic signature was s F-16.
In other words, it's not evidence, and any analyst or expert on the topic would tell you that nothing can be determined.

Our counter story for what, you guys have yet to provide your own "irrefutable" counter story. Remember Foreign Policy, remember Asia Times, or maybe the best evidence, all 4 missiles salvaged from wreck, with a full video HD of the wreck where you can identify all 4 missile wrecks. Dear, you can't counter that because that is truly irrefutable.

Keep trying though. You may just fool yourself once more.

Edit: Oh, we all do. We were all watching cricket, and later some people were out literally enjoying the environment.
Any people would take pre cautions when they feel a threat exists. The creation of the pre cautious conditions due to your Navy isn't something to gloat about, India should be rather embarrassed that your Navy mobilized, and they got a response that they couldn't even muster up the will to cross the maritime border. IAF, Navy both technologically so ahead, yet so useless

Then prove it .man.
Release the pictures of Saab Awacs .
Show the proof ,if you have any.
It wasnt the petty PR attempt of ISPR ,it was the unnecessary play of FP magazine that forced us to release radar pictures.