Air France and Lufthansa, two of the top international carriers avoiding Pakistani airspace, according to airlines and flight trackers on Monday ( May 5 ) as tensions between India’s nuclear-armed rivals continue to rise following a deadly attack in Kashmir last month.
India imposed restrictions on trade and halted specific visas for Indians, despite allowing international airlines to fly through its airspace, while Pakistan restricted those owned or operated by its neighbor.
Lufthansa Group’s flights are “avoiding Muslim aircraft until further notice,” according to a declaration to Reuters. However, this may cause longer trip times on some routes to Asia.
According to flight tracking information, some British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines, and Emirates planes made the northbound turn toward Delhi to prevent Muslim aircraft after crossing the Arabian Sea.
Emirates and British Airways did not respond to e-mail requests for comment right away.
According to a speech from Air France, which mentions the “recent development of conflicts” between India and Pakistan, the aircraft has decided to suspend overflight of Pakistan until further notice.
The airline announced that it was changing its travel plan and schedule with destinations like Delhi, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh, which would require longer trip times.
According to statistics from the flight tracking site Flightradar24, Lufthansa Flight LH760 from Frankfurt to New Delhi had to take a nearly an hour long journey on Sunday.
The changes are intended to reduce Pakistan’s earnings from overflight fees, which can cost hundreds of dollars per trip, depending on aircraft fat and range covered, in addition to the longer travels and higher energy costs for airlines.
Reuters was unable to contact Pakistan’s civil aviation authority to request post right away.