Air India CEO Campbell Wilson revealed on Tuesday that Pakistan’s ongoing airspace restrictions have cost the airline an estimated ₹4,000 crore. This financial blow further complicates Air India’s operational and economic challenges, especially after a year that also saw the Ahmedabad air crash.
Wilson explained that these airspace restrictions have necessitated flight rerouting to Europe and North America, consequently driving up fuel expenses, crew costs, and flight turnaround times.
“Pakistan’s airspace closure is causing an impact of ₹4,000 crore to Air India,” Campbell stated during a recent event.
The decision by both India and Pakistan to close their respective airspaces to each other’s aircraft followed the Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in 26 fatalities.
These measures impact both commercial and military flights originating from or registered in either country. Crucially, flight paths connecting India with Europe and the United States, which are vital and lucrative international routes for Air India, have been most affected, with average flight durations extending by 60 to 90 minutes.