Under the new official Notice to Airmen, the PAA said Pakistan’s airspace would remain closed to all aircraft registered in India, including planes owned, operated or leased by Indian airlines. The restriction also covers Indian military flights.
The PAA said the ban, which is already in force, will continue until February 24, subject to the specified timings outlined in the notice.
Read: What Pakistan’s airspace ban means for Indian air travel
The ban was first enforced following a flare-up between the two nuclear-armed neighbours earlier this year. Although a ceasefire was brokered through US mediation, the airspace restrictions have remained in place.
Last month, the PAA had similarly extended the ban until January 23, reaffirming its continued enforcement despite diplomatic backchannels.
The restriction is causing significant losses to Indian airlines, which have to take much longer routes to reach destinations in the Middle East, Europe and the United States. The closure of Pakistan’s airspace to Indian carriers has intensified Air India’s operational and financial woes, prompting the airline to lobby the Indian government to seek access to sensitive military airspace over China’s Xinjiang region.
The ban has forced longer detours on long-haul routes, increasing fuel costs by up to 29% and adding as much as three hours to journey times.
Air India estimates the ban has cut its annual profit before tax by $455 million, surpassing its fiscal 2024–25 loss of $439m, forcing the airline to seek temporary subsidies from the government until Pakistan reopens its airspace, with estimated weekly losses of $1.13m.