Air India lobbies to use airspace in China’s Xinjiang as financial woes from Pakistan ban mount

[Dalit]

There were Indians saying that India is rich ..and they can brush off these "minor losses".

4 trillion dollar economy should not worry so much. The loss in time and money is very little for 4 trillion dollar economy.

 

[Dalit]

Pakistan issues Notam extending Indian aircraft ban till Dec 24

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has issued a notice to airmen (Notam) extending the airspace ban for Indian aircraft till December 24, it emerged on Thursday.

The new ban for Indian aircraft has been notified just four days before a previous one is set to expire.

India and Pakistan have closed their airspaces to each other’s airlines since tensions between them escalated in late April in the wake of an attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Islamabad most recently extended the airspace ban in mid-October till November 24.

The latest restriction went into effect from 2:50pm Pakistan time on November 19 (yesterday) to 4:59am on December 24, according to a Notam issued on Wednesday.

The bar will apply to all Indian-registered aircraft as well as any aircraft operated, owned, or leased by Indian airlines or operators, including military flights. The airspace closure applies from ground level up to unlimited altitude.

Pakistan’s airspace is divided into two flight information regions (FIRs) — Karachi and Lahore, according to a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) document from 2022. The Notam applies to both the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) FIRs.



On April 24, in response to India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan had announced a series of measures, including the closure of its airspace to all India-owned or Indian-operated airlines.

New Delhi, without evidence, had alleged that Islamabad backed the attack. Pakistan strongly denied any involvement and offered a neutral probe. Then, in early May, the nuclear-armed nations fought their fiercest military conflict in decades. Pakistan says it downed seven Indian jets during the conflict.

Financial toll from Pakistan ban
Amid a financial toll from a ban on Indian carriers flying over Pakistan mounts, Air India is lobbying the Indian government to convince China to let it use a sensitive military airspace zone in Xinjiang to shorten routes.

For Air India, the country’s only carrier with a major international network, fuel costs have risen by as much as 29 per cent and journey times by up to three hours on some long-haul routes, Reuters reported, citing a document submitted to Indian officials in late October.

The airline, owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, estimated the Pakistan airspace closure’s impact on its profit before tax at $455 million annually — a significant amount given its fiscal 2024-25 loss stood at $439m.

Other Indian airlines, including IndiGo, also face higher fuel costs and longer journey times as they reroute international flights. On the other hand, the PAA also reported a shortfall of Rs4.1 billion in August, just over two months after closing its airspace to Indian-registered aircraft.

Pakistan issues Notam extending Indian aircraft ban till Dec 24

Bar will apply to all Indian-registered aircraft as well as any aircraft operated, owned, or leased by Indian airlines or operators, including military flights.

www.dawn.com

 

[Dalit]

This ban should be extended for a very lengthy period until India comes to its senses.

I like it how Pakistan is exploiting air space and border against its enemies.

 

[Dalit]

Indian members are now watching as guests. I am starting to lose my patience here.

 

[LC150]

Air India is lobbying the Indian government to convince China to let it use a sensitive military airspace zone in Xinjiang to shorten routes as the financial toll from a ban on Indian carriers flying over Pakistan mounts, a company document shows.

The unusual request comes just weeks after direct India-China flights resumed after a five-year hiatus following a Himalayan border clash between the nations.

Air India has been seeking to rebuild its reputation and international network after a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed in Gujarat in June, killing 260 people and forcing it to briefly cut flights for safety checks.

But that effort is being complicated by the closure of Pakistan airspace to Indian carriers since diplomatic tensions erupted in late April.

For Air India, the country’s only carrier with a major international network, fuel costs have risen by as much as 29 per cent and journey times by up to three hours on some long-haul routes, according to the previously unreported document submitted to Indian officials in late October and reviewed by Reuters.

The Indian government is reviewing Air India’s plea to diplomatically ask China to allow an alternative routing and emergency access to airports in case of diversions at Hotan, Kashgar and Urumqi in Xinjiang, aiming to reach US, Canada and Europe faster, the document said.

“Air India’s long-haul network is under severe operational and financial strain … Securing Hotan route will be a strategic option,” it added.

The airline, owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, estimated the Pakistan airspace closure’s impact on its profit before tax at $455 million annually — a significant amount given its fiscal 2024-25 loss stood at $439m.

The Chinese foreign ministry said it was not aware of the situation and referred Reuters to the “relevant authorities”.

Air India and civil aviation authorities in India, China and Pakistan did not respond to Reuters’ queries.

Without Hotan, some routes becoming ‘unviable’
The Chinese airspace Air India is seeking to access is ringed by some of the world’s highest mountains of 20,000 feet or more, and is avoided by international airlines due to potential safety risks in case of a decompression incident.

More critically, it also falls within People’s Liberation Army’s Western Theatre Command, which is equipped with extensive missile, drone and air-defence assets and shares some airports with civilian aircraft, military analysts say.

The Pentagon’s December report on China’s military said the command’s responsibilities include responding to any conflict with India.

China’s military has much greater control of the country’s airspace than in most other aviation markets, restricting flight paths. Open-source intelligence tracker Damien Symon said China’s military has recently expanded an airbase at Hotan.

China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Data from AirNav Radar shows no non-Chinese airlines departed or arrived at Hotan airport in the last 12 months.

Shukor Yusof, founder of aviation consultancy Endau Analytics, said: “Air India can try, but it’s doubtful China will accede” to access given the region’s terrain, lack of emergency airports and possibility of security issues.

Airspace globally has been constricted due to proliferating conflict zones.

US carriers have been banned from flying over Russia since the Ukraine war began in 2022 and pulled out of many US-India routes. That gave Air India a near-monopoly on non-stop flights from India.

But after the Pakistan airspace closure, Air India’s Delhi-Washington route was suspended in August. Now other routes are under review, with the direct Mumbai- and Bengaluru to San Francisco routes “becoming unviable” due to an additional three hours of travel time, including a technical stop in Kolkata, the document said.

A flight from San Francisco to Mumbai on Lufthansa via Munich is now only five minutes longer than on Air India.

“Passengers (are) shifting to foreign carriers due to shorter flight time as they have the benefit of Pakistan overflight,” the document said.

Air India estimates the requested Hotan route in China could substantially cut extra fuel requirements and flight times, help restore passenger and cargo capacity it trimmed by as much as 15pc on routes like New York- and Vancouver-Delhi, and reduce losses by an estimated $1.13m per week.

Cash flow burden deepens finance woes

With no signs of airspace ban easing, Air India also wants “temporary subsidy till Pakistan airspace opens”, the document said.

Air India, which has placed $70 billion of aircraft orders, is seeking help resolving legacy tax issues.

India’s government indemnified the airline against claims payable before selling it to Tata in 2022, but several notices have been received related to old tax liabilities of $725m, raising legal and reputation risks, the document said.

A confidential government notice from March, seen by Reuters, showed tax authorities warned of “coercive steps” — which can include freezing of assets — to recover dues of $58m in one case.

Contesting such tax demands has led to “additional cashflow burden … despite assurances during disinvestment”, the airline said.

Air India lobbies to use airspace over China’s Xinjiang as financial woes from Pakistan ban mount

Airline estimates Pakistan airspace closure's impact on its profit before tax at $455 million annually.

www.dawn.com

india is ruled one serious dumb dumb....

 

[LC150]

Indian members are now watching as guests. I am starting to lose my patience here.

they already lost $500M... because of this... but dont worry they have plenty FX...

hopefully they keep doing the same ie sending more jets to get shot down... and keep buying imported jets..

good for France... let them make money of India's stupidity...

 

[Dalit]

Still no reaction from any Indian member. Normally these Hindutvatis are extremely busy posting their nonsense.

@vasanthm @harpy1

 

[rafale]

Would love to see Brand Air India bleed.........sahi B**** mari hai inn bhindians ki

 

[Dalit]

Would love to see Brand Air India bleed.........sahi B**** mari hai inn bhindians ki

The Indians are avoiding this discussion at all cost. Not a single reply from a heroic Hindutva.

 

[PK781]

Another notable international event:

Due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia. One of Russia's countermeasures was to close its airspace to all Western airlines. But... they continued to keep their airspace open to Chinese airlines.

This gave Chinese airlines a significant advantage in civil aviation competition between Europe and East Asia. Western airlines and governments were unable to persuade Russia, so they pressured China, demanding that Chinese airlines use the same detoured routes as them, and not use the shorter routes flying over Russian airspace... They even demanded that governments impose punitive measures on Chinese airlines...

Thank you for adding this for us to read, very interesting.
But I hope China and its airlines DID NOT heed to that stupid demand of matching the routes. Its not like they have any leverage against China anyway, China can brush their concern aside and they can't do anything about it.
It's actually great for China/Pakistan/Russia's geopolitical and geological location advantage for their airlines......haha.........make those euro/westy airlines lose lot of revenue and passengers.....also gives advantage to Turkish/Etihad/Emirates/Qatari/Saudi carriers as they can overfly Pakistan while indian airlines can't.
Pakistan has actually been very kind to the west/europe (to my dislike when they banned our PIA unfairly, we should've done the same, it would've resulted in lifting of the ban a lot sooner......but I digress.

The tragedy in all this and the past has been the unwillingness of our stupid idiotic leaders who were unable to use Pakistan's geo-location which is so so important to the routes of all airlines.....so much advantage yet did not utilize it.
Together with neigbours it could be devastating for the west/euro carriers if Pakistan indeed starting using its advantage of location to sometimes force policy changes.......

oh well, someday in future i hope.....

 

[PK781]

There were Indians saying that India is rich ..and they can brush off these "minor losses".

until cold hard reality hits like a fucking brick in their faces

 

[Michael]

But I hope China and its airlines DID NOT heed to that stupid demand of matching the routes. Its not like they have any leverage against China anyway, China can brush their concern aside and they can't do anything about it.

This is a power struggle in international politics and diplomacy.

The US Department of Transportation proposed a ban on October 9, 2025, requiring Chinese airlines operating flights to and from the US to refrain from flying over Russian airspace. The ban was originally scheduled to take effect in November 2025.
Subsequently, Chinese airlines and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly opposed the ban.

Currently, the ban has not yet taken effect. Internal discussions are still ongoing within the US.
If the US Department of Transportation forcibly implements this ban, China will inevitably retaliate.

 

[Hakwa Nadro]

Indian members are now watching as guests. I am starting to lose my patience here.

looks like they don't have a valid answer or a stupid counter claim for your questions, but hey hold your horse tighter, I am betting on the "Modi Toadies' operated fake news factory to make a major comeback" and most of the time they do not disappoint.

 

[ety]

Lol, these Bharats think Chinese are stupid that they will just open their sensitive and military restricted Xinjiang airspace for the Indian airlines just for the goodwill or appeasement of their supapowa country. These people must be delusional to ask such unacceptable favor of China in the first place. Why should Indian airlines get special favor treatment of China's airspace control, LMAO ?

 

[vasanthm]

Still no reaction from any Indian member. Normally these Hindutvatis are extremely busy posting their nonsense.

@vasanthm @harpy1

Relax yaar, I’m just having my breakfast… even Hindutvadis need to eat before replying to nonsense.