The Ministry of Civil Aviation extended the closure of 24 airports near India’s western borders for five more days, till May 15. The airports, which were closed citing escalating tensions with Pakistan, will remain shut till 5.29 am till next Thursday.
The affected airports include Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara and Pathankot in Punjab, Bhuntar, Shimla and Kangra-Gaggal in Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh in the Union Territory, Srinagar and Jammu in Jammu & Kashmir, Leh in Ladakh, Kishengarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner in Rajasthan, and Mundra, Jamnagar, Hirasar, Porbandar, Keshod, Kandla and Bhuj in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, several airlines cancelled their flights to these airports. Air India announced flight cancellations to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhuj, Jamnagar, and Rajkot. Affected passengers are being offered a full refund or a one-time rescheduling waiver.
IndiGo also cancelled operations to several affected cities and shared links for customers to check flight status, rebook or apply for a refund.
The latest bulletin follows a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued after Pakistan’s retaliatory measures after India launched a precision strike against reported terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan launched drone and missile strikes targeting areas in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
Though Indian defence systems intercepted and foiled the attacks, security has since been ramped up across the aviation sector. Airlines have advised passengers to reach airports at least three hours before departure, and hundreds of flights have been cancelled.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has ordered enhanced checks, including Secondary Ladder Point Checks (SLPC) for all passengers. Visitor entry into terminals has been suspended, and Air Marshals will be deployed as needed.
Source: India Today