Over 400 Flights Cancelled Daily; Security Heightened at All Indian Airports
In the wake of escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian government has extended the suspension of civil flight operations at 24 key airports until 5:29 AM on May 15, under a continued security alert as part of Operation Sindoor. The closure, initially announced after India’s precision strikes in Pakistan on May 7, was earlier scheduled to last until May 11 but has now been prolonged as cross-border hostilities intensify.
❌ Flight Operations Hit Hard
The closure has disrupted domestic air traffic significantly, with over 400 flights cancelled daily. India’s largest airline, IndiGo, alone has grounded more than 165 flights each day due to the shutdown of airfields located near the western and northern borders.
Affected airports include:
- Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Rajkot, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Dharamshala, Bathinda, Shimla, Ludhiana, Kishangarh, Porbandar, Mundra, and Kandla among others.
Most of these airports operate on Indian Air Force bases and are considered strategically sensitive due to their proximity to the India-Pakistan border.
✈️ Airlines Issue Travel Advisories
Airlines including IndiGo and Air India have issued travel advisories, notifying passengers of complete cancellations to and from these airports until May 15. “These precautionary measures have been instituted with your safety and security as our highest priority,” stated IndiGo.
Air India also confirmed the suspension of services at key northern and western airports and asked passengers to monitor updates from the airline and airport authorities.
🔒 Airport Security on Maximum Alert
India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has ordered nationwide enhancement of airport security protocols, including:
- Secondary pre-boarding security checks for all passengers.
- Ban on visitors entering airport terminals.
- Increased deployment of air marshals and state security forces.
- Random baggage checks at airport entrances.
- Strict identity checks for passengers and staff.
- Full aircraft and catering security inspections.
- Reinforced CCTV surveillance and ground staff monitoring.
These measures are expected to remain in place at least until May 18, as Indian intelligence agencies continue to assess the threat posed by possible retaliatory actions from across the border.
🇮🇳 Background: Operation Sindoor
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, conducting precision strikes at nine strategic locations inside Pakistan. The strikes were reportedly a response to Pakistan’s coordinated drone and missile attacks on Indian military installations earlier this week. This back-and-forth escalation has led to an unprecedented level of alert at India’s northern and western borders.
