Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated on Tuesday that Pakistan’s continued closure of its airspace to Indian carriers has resulted in an estimated loss of ₹4,000 crore for the airline. This situation exacerbates the national carrier’s operational and financial difficulties, especially after a challenging year that included the Ahmedabad air crash.
Wilson explained that the airspace restrictions imposed by Pakistan have compelled Air India to reroute flights destined for Europe and North America. These detours lead to considerably higher fuel consumption, increased crew expenses, and longer turnaround times for flights.
“The closure of Pakistan’s airspace is causing an impact of ₹4,000 crore to Air India,” Campbell mentioned during an event.
The initial closure occurred in April, following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, leading both India and Pakistan to ban each other’s aircraft from their respective airspaces.
These restrictions affect both commercial and military aircraft. The routes connecting India to Europe and the United States, which are among Air India’s most profitable international sectors, have been the most severely impacted, with flight durations extending by an average of 60 to 90 minutes.