The Pakistan Airports Authority has issued a fresh NOTAM, reaffirming the ongoing suspension of over-flight permissions for aircrafts registered in India. Pakistani airspace was closed for Indian aircrafts since April 24 after India in a controversial move unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) inked between the two countries in 1960.
According to the NOTAM, all Indian-registered aircrafts are strictly prohibited from using Pakistani airspace for any operations, including over flights and transit flights. These restrictions were initially imposed in April this year and have been renewed repeatedly since then. This restriction applies to both military and civilian aircraft that are either owned by India or leased by Indian entities.
The Pakistan Airports Authority has stated that the ban remains in effect until further notice. It applies to all aircraft under Indian registration, with no exemptions granted. As per reports, Indian airlines have incurred losses worth millions of dollars due to increased fuel costs from forced stopovers on long-haul flights.
India’s flag carrier Air India has warned of a staggering financial blow, estimating losses of more than $591 million over the next 12 months if Pakistan’s ongoing airspace ban remains in effect. Soon after the ban, the airline in its letter to the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation, has requested urgent financial assistance in the form of a government-backed subsidy model.
AzVision.az
