Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, Indian airlines have grounded flights at over two dozen airports across the northern and western regions of the country.
Major domestic carriers issued travel advisories, informing passengers of suspended operations until Saturday.
Affected airports include Amritsar in Punjab and Srinagar in India-controlled Kashmir, both bordering Pakistan.
India’s Civil Aviation Ministry has yet to release an official statement regarding the airport closures.
Ministry spokeswoman Beena Yadav declined to comment on the situation Thursday.
The widespread cancellations have caused significant disruption for travellers.
IndiGo, India’s largest domestic airline, cancelled 165 flights on Wednesday. Air India and Air India Express also reported a similar number of cancellations.
The sudden closure of Amritsar airport, located near the Pakistani city of Lahore, forced Air India to divert two international flights bound for Amritsar to New Delhi.
India and Pakistan are teetering on the edge of a fresh military crisis after New Delhi launched missile strikes inside Pakistani territory on Wednesday, targeting what it called terror training camps to avenge April’s massacre of 26 Indian tourists in India-controlled Kashmir.
India blames Pakistan for backing the gunmen, an accusation that Islamabad denies.
Soon after the killings, the two countries swiftly moved to close their respective airspace in April, and India has shut some of its airports.
The cancellation of flights has resulted in woes for passengers.
Rahul, a 32-year-old Indian businessman who goes by a single name, had a flight from Dubai to Chandigarh on Wednesday, which was cancelled after closure of the Indian airport.
The airline offered him a rescheduled flight to Delhi and then a bus ride to Chandigarh.
Rahul’s work got delayed back home, but he didn’t complain.
“Its a security situation. I understand,” he said.
On Thursday, Pakistan claimed it had killed “40-50 soldiers” by shelling Indian military installations along the Line of Control, the de facto border in Kashmir, in retaliation for Wednesday’s pre-dawn airstrikes by India.
At least 16 civilians and an Indian soldier were killed in heavy shelling in India’s Poonch district, Indian police said.
Pakistan said it downed 25 Indian kamikaze drones, while India said it shot down 15 missiles.
Also on Thursday, French officials said at least one Indian-owned Rafale fighter jet was shot down during Wednesday’s “Operation Sindoor”.
