Operation Sindoor: Airlines cancel services in J&K, other border regions

Flights to and from several cities including Jammu, Srinagar and Amritsar were cancelled following airspace restrictions amid India's cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor

Several Indian airlines cancelled flights on Wednesday after the Indian armed forces carried out strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people.

 

Flights were cancelled in several regions, including Jammu and Kashmir, amid airspace restrictions, news agency PTI reported.

 

Following the cancellation of flights, all major airlines issued advisories, informing passengers about cancellations and delays in arrivals and departures. The airlines also advised passengers to check their flight status and plan their journeys accordingly. 

   

Air India wrote, “Given the prevailing situation, the airline has cancelled all its flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot till noon.”

 

It further posted on X, “Two international flights en route to Amritsar are being diverted to Delhi. We regret the inconvenience caused due to this unforeseen disruption.”

 

SpiceJet wrote, “Due to the ongoing situation, airports in parts of northern India, including Dharamshala (DHM), Leh (IXL), Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR), and Amritsar (ATQ), are closed until further notice. Departures, arrivals, and consequential flights may be impacted.”

 

IndiGo noted that, in the wake of Operation Sindoor, flights to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh and Dharamshala were impacted.

 

Operation Sindoor

 

On the intervening night of 6 and 7 May, the Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes in Pakistan and PoJK. A statement from the Ministry of Defence released soon after said, “A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.”

 

Operation Sindoor was carried out in the wake of a terrorist attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley on 22 April, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, mostly tourists. Following the attack, the Centre downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan as it condemned the incident.

 

(With PTI inputs)