Operation Sindoor disrupts air traffic: Flight delays in Delhi, Srinagar, Jammu and other cities

In light of the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following Indian forces' "precision" strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir, multiple airlines have released travel advisories for passengers. Flights to and from cities including Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, and Dharamshala are expected to face potential disruptions, the airlines cautioned.
 
Read | India strikes terror camps in PoK, Pakistan under ‘Operation Sindoor’ days after Pahalgam attack
 

23 Domestic Flights Cancelled

As of Wednesday morning, approximately 160 domestic IndiGo flights have been cancelled, according to an official cited by news agency PTI. Additionally, at least 20 flights from various airlines have been cancelled at Delhi airport.

According to statements from several Indian carriers, the following airports in India are closed to civilian traffic until further notice:

Read | Operation Sindoor LIVE: Col. Sofiya Qureshi shares real-time operation videos, says ‘no civilian deaths reported’

Dharamshala (DHM)

Leh (IXL)

Jammu (IXJ)

Srinagar (SXR)

Amritsar (ATQ)

Chandigarh (IXC)

SpiceJet Issues Flight Advisory

"Due to ongoing situation, airports in parts of northern India, including Dharamshala (DHM), Leh (IXL), Jammu (IXJ), Srinagar (SXR), and Amritsar (ATQ), are closed until further notice. Departures, arrivals, and consequential flights may be impacted. Passengers are advised to plan their journey accordingly and check flight status at: https://spicejet.com/#status," SpiceJet posted on X.
 

Read | Indian missile strikes kill 8 civilians, including a 3-yr-old, in Pakistan; 35 injured

Indigo Issues Flight Advisory

"Due to changing airspace conditions in the region, our flights to and from #Srinagar, #Jammu, #Amritsar, #Leh, #Chandigarh and #Dharamshala are impacted. We request you to check your flight status before reaching the airport," Indigo Airlines posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Furthermore, flights to and from Bikaner would also be impacted due to the current airspace restrictions, the Indigo Airlines added. "Update: Flights to/from #Bikaner are also impacted by the current airspace restrictions. We request you to check your flight status before reaching the airport," the airline posted.

Air India has also issued a statement announcing the cancellation of all its flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot until 12 noon. Additionally, two international flights to Amritsar are being diverted to Delhi. The airline expressed regret for the inconvenience and issued helpline numbers for further information.

Operation Sindoor

Retaliating against the Pahalgam terror attack two weeks ago, Indian armed forces on early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including in Bahawalpur, a stronghold of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The military strikes were carried out under Operation Sindoor, the defence ministry said in a statement at 1.44 am. It said the actions by the Indian armed forces were "focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature".
 

Read | Operation Sindoor: Pakistan claims it shot down 3 Rafale Planes, 1 SU-30 and 1 MIG-29 flown by India

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the Indian missile strikes an "act of war" and said his country has every right to give a "befitting reply," news agency PTI reported.