Airlines cancel, reroute flights after India-Pakistan clashes

Indian aircraft as seen on final approach flying for landing in New Delhi, India on April 25,2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 07 May 2025
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Airlines cancel, reroute flights after India-Pakistan clashes

  • India launched missile strikes in Pakistani territory on Wednesday night in response to deadly attack last month
  • Flights of Korean Air, Taiwan’s China Airlines, Russian national carrier Aeroflot and others rerouted or canceled

BANGKOK: Clashes between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan on Wednesday sent airlines scrambling to cancel, divert or reroute flights.

The neighbors and longtime rivals exchanged heavy artillery fire along their contested frontier after India launched missile strikes in retaliation for a deadly attack last month.

Here is a round-up of what airlines are doing to avoid flying over the conflict zone.

Korean Air has begun rerouting its flights from Seoul Incheon to Dubai, using a southern route that passes over Myanmar, Bangladesh and India, instead of the previous path through Pakistani airspace.

“We are currently monitoring the situation for further changes,” a Korean Air official told AFP.

Taiwan’s China Airlines said several flights have been diverted or canceled.

Two flights from Taipei to Frankfurt and Amsterdam “made a technical diversion to Bangkok” before returning to the Taiwanese capital.

Three flights from Taipei to Prague, Rome and London were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“China Airlines continues to monitor the situation and will adjust flight schedules as needed,” it said.

EVA Air said it will adjust flights to and from Europe “based on actual conditions to avoid affected airspace to ensure the safety of crew members and passengers.”

A flight from Vienna to Bangkok will return to the Austrian capital while a flight from Taipei to Milan will be diverted to Vienna for refueling and then continue to the Italian city, the airline said in a statement.

Russian national carrier Aeroflot said all its flights from Moscow to and from India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the Seychelles would be rerouted.

Singapore Airlines said its flights have been rerouted to avoid Pakistani airspace.

Malaysia Airlines rerouted two flights from Kuala Lumpur — one to London Heathrow and one to Paris Charles de Gaulle. They stopped in Doha before continuing their journeys.

The carrier also suspended all flights to and from India’s Amritsar until May 9.

Thai Airways said it was rerouting flights to destinations in Europe and South Asia from 5:00 am on Wednesday (2200 GMT Tuesday) to avoid Pakistani airspace, warning of possible delays.

At least eight flights to European cities were affected, the airline said, while a return flight scheduled to go from Bangkok to Islamabad and back again on Wednesday was canceled.

Sri Lankan Airlines said its flights were unaffected and there is no change to its four weekly flights to Pakistan’s Lahore and Karachi.


Pakistan engages Saudi Arabia, China in bid to ease surging Middle East tensions 

Updated 10 March 2026
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Pakistan engages Saudi Arabia, China in bid to ease surging Middle East tensions 

  • Pakistan’s foreign minister stresses need for de-escalation in conversations with Chinese, Saudi counterparts
  • Tensions in the Middle East continue to remain high as conflict between US, Israel and Iran intensifies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and China on Tuesday, stressing the importance of diplomatic engagement to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East as the Iran war intensifies. 

Pakistan has constantly engaged regional countries in efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Middle East, after the US and Isreal launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. 

Iran launched fresh attacks on Gulf countries on Tuesday morning, where it has targeted US military bases in recent weeks. In addition to firing missiles and drones at Israel and American bases in the region, Iran has also been targeting energy infrastructure which, combined with its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, has sent oil prices soaring worldwide. 

Dar spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss developments in the Middle East and ongoing deliberations at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement. 

“DPM/FM shared Pakistan’s perspective, underscoring the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement to support de-escalation and promote peace and stability across the region and beyond,” the statement said. 

Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, spoke to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi over the telephone separately. The two discussed the evolving regional situation and broader global developments.

Dar underscored the need to ease tensions in the Middle East and the wider region during the conversation, the foreign office said. 

Yi appreciated Pakistan’s constructive efforts aimed at promoting de-escalation and stability in the region, it added. 

“The two leaders stressed the importance of de-escalation and emphasized the need to pursue dialogue and diplomacy in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter,” the foreign office’s statement said. 

The conflict in the Middle East has hit Pakistan hard as well, forcing Islamabad to hike petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per liter last Friday. 

Pakistan’s government has also announced a set of austerity measures, which include closing schools and cutting down on government expenditures, as it evaluates petrol stocks and looks for alternative supply routes.