Flight Chaos: 430 Flights Cancelled, 27 Airports Shut After Operation Sindoor

New Delhi: Following the Indian armed forces’ successful execution of Operation Sindoor, heightened security concerns have led to the cancellation of nearly 430 domestic flights on Thursday—accounting for around three per cent of scheduled flights across the country—as 27 airports remain shut until May 10.

Flight tracking platform Flightradar24 showed the airspace over Pakistan and India’s western corridor, from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat, remained largely clear of civilian aircraft, reflecting the aviation sector’s caution amid regional tensions.

The list of impacted airports includes key northern and western cities: Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Shimla, Gaggal, Dharamsala, Kishangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Bhuj, Gwalior, and Hindon.

This follows over 300 flight cancellations and suspensions at 21 airports on Wednesday, as airlines continue to avoid flying over volatile zones.

Air India, in a post on X, acknowledged high call volumes and assured passengers of support. The airline announced full refunds and a one-time waiver on rescheduling fees for affected bookings up to May 10. Defence personnel booked on Air India or Air India Express flights until May 31 can also avail full refunds and reschedule without penalty until June 30.

IndiGo also confirmed service disruptions to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, and Dharamsala, offering a waiver on change and cancellation fees for bookings made on or before April 22 for travel until May 22.

SpiceJet has suspended flights to Dharamsala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar until further notice, while Akasa Air issued a general travel advisory acknowledging the situation.

Aviation authorities and airlines are closely monitoring developments and are expected to update flight operations as the security scenario evolves.