Air India Suffers Major Blow Due To Pakistan Airspace Closure
Mahnoor Sheikh (@mahnoorsheikh03) Published July 12, 2019 | 10:37 AM
Rerouting of Air India flights has resulted in an operating cost of approx 13 lakh per day as the flying time has increased by approximately 15 minutes.
Islamabad (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 12th July, 2019) Indian Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri has revealed that Air India has suffered a major blow due to the closure of Pakistani airspace.
According to the minister, the airspace closure has cost Air India approximately 430 crores Indian rupees.
In a written response, Hardeep Puri elaborated, Rerouting of Air India flights has resulted in an operating cost of approx 13 lakh per day as the flying time has increased by approximately 15 minutes.
The minister, however, assured Parliament that the burden of this increased operating cost has not been passed on to the passenger and there has been no fare increase, as a result.
The negotiations between New Delhi and Islamabad on opening Pakistani airspace for commercial flights to and from India are proceeding slowly and are unlikely to result in an agreement by fall.
Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian flights in February over aggravated bilateral relations.
This ban has been renewed approximately every two weeks, with the most recent renewal set to expire on July 12.
The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority announced the airspace restrictions after the two neighboring countries exchanged several air raids in February. It was initially triggered by a deadly attack on an Indian security convoy in Kashmir on February 14 that resulted in over 40 deaths. The attack was later claimed by Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed. Tensions escalated as India accused Pakistan of being behind the attack and supporting the terrorists, whose leader is based in Pakistan. Islamabad has rejected all allegations.
In retaliation, the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes against what it claimed to be a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in the Pakistani part of the disputed Kashmir region. The Pakistani military then shot down two Indian military jets that had crossed the line of control separating the Indian and Pakistani parts of Kashmir.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 27 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 27 April 2024
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
More Stories From Pakistan
-
Two killed over land dispute
22 minutes ago -
Sargodha receives rain
22 minutes ago -
13 criminals held
32 minutes ago -
Saudi ministry warns against fraudulent Hajj schemes; urges vigilance, official channels for booking
9 hours ago -
SC to take up 9 identical petitions regarding judges' letter
10 hours ago -
Woman committed suicide in Pindigheb
10 hours ago
-
Teenage girl abducted in Hassanabdal
10 hours ago -
NTDC Super 8 Inter-Departmental Tape Ball Cricket Tournament concludes: GM (HR) team clinches the w ..
10 hours ago -
AJK President calls for overseas Kashmiris' proactive role to expose the Modi government's nefarious ..
10 hours ago -
AJK-wide campaign begins to vanish black-tinted glasses to all sorts of vehicles
10 hours ago -
Islamabad to be digitalized as pilot project under national digitalization plan: IT Minister
10 hours ago -
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
11 hours ago