Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu
| Photo Credit:
Manvender Vashist Lav
The centre has sought domestic airlines’ feedback on the impact that Pakistan’s decision to close its airspace have on their operations.
Besides, the union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has sought details on airlines’ plans to mitigate the impact and not hamper passenger comfort or movement in any way.
The Pakistan air corridor is vital for Indian airlines, especially for west-bound flights from northern cities like Delhi to Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and even the US.
The closure has forced airlines to reroute, thereby extending travel time and necessitating technical stopovers.
Speaking on the sidelines of an industry event here, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that MoCA has held the first round of deliberations with the airline industry and now awaits further feedback from them.
“We did one round of discussion, we are trying to take their feedback and our whole interest is that whatever decision (to mitigate impact of Pakistan’s decision to close airspace) has been taken shouldn’t affect passengers,” Minister Naidu said adding that more deliberations will be held with airlines to tackle the issue.
“We are assessing how the impact is going to be and then with the feedback from the airlines see what the government can do about it,” the minister said.
Besides, Minister Naidu has asked airlines to work out a “more thorough assessment” of the impact, if the airspace closure continues for six months or one year and identify the routes that are going to be affected.
Thorough understanding
“We need to have a thorough understanding on all of this before we decide on what to do,” he said.
“No matter any decision that you take in aviation you can’t ignore safety so that becomes the utmost priority even if it takes little longer you have to find a safer route so we are still looking out for options.”
Last week, the Centre instructed airlines to bolster passenger “amenities as well as handling protocols” with immediate effect to shield flyers from the fallout of the airspace closure.
A Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directive instructed airlines to communicate transparently with passengers about altered flight paths, potential delays, and unplanned halts.
The regulator has also called for enhanced in-flight services.
“Airlines are required to revise catering based on the actual block time, ensuring adequate food, hydration, and special meal availability throughout the flight, including any technical stopovers,” the DGCA directive read.
Published on April 28, 2025
