228 flights cancelled in 2 days at Delhi airport as India-Pak tensions persist
The Civil Aviation Ministry has announced closure of 24 airports for civil flight operations till May 10, Saturday.
Air travel disruption persisted at Delhi Airport for the second consecutive day, as escalating tensions between India and Pakistan led to continued airspace restrictions, forcing widespread flight cancellations and delays. Tensions between the two neighbouring nations soared further after a Pakistani drone and missile attack on Indian cities in Jammu, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
In the last 2 days, 228 flights have been cancelled at Delhi international airport. According to airport authorities, a total of 138 flights were cancelled on Friday. This included 63 domestic arrivals, 66 domestic departures, 4 international arrivals, and 5 international departures.
Detailed breakup of flight cancellations at Delhi airport on May 9
- Domestic Departure- 66
- Domestic Arrival-63
- International Departure- 05
- International Arrival- 04
On May 8, more than 90 flights were cancelled and over 200 delayed during peak travel hours between 8 am and 2 pm.
"Delhi airport operations remain normal. However, due to evolving airspace conditions and heightened security measures, some flight schedules and security processing timings may be impacted,' DIAL said in a post on X on Friday.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which is the country's largest and busiest airport.
DIAL also advised passengers to be prepared for additional time at security checkpoints and cooperate with airline and security staff for smooth processing.
Breakup of flights cancelled at Delhi airport on May 8
- Domestic departures-46
- Domestic arrivals-33
- International departures-05
- International arrival-06
24 airports shut for civil flights
The Civil Aviation Ministry has announced closure of 24 airports for civil flight operations till May 10, Saturday.
The affected airports are - Amritsar, Bathinda, Bhuj, Bhuntar, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Halwara, Hirasa (Rajkot), Jammu, Jamnagar, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Kangra-Gaggal, Kandla, Keshod, Kishengarh, Leh, Ludhiana, Mundra, Patiala, Pathankot, Porbandar, Shimla, Srinagar.
Tensions between India and Pakistan intensified on Thursday evening after a Pakistani drone and missile attack targeted areas in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan. The Ministry of Defence later confirmed the strike originated from Pakistan. Indian air defence systems successfully intercepted the attack, prompting blackouts, air raid sirens in multiple cities, and the suspension of the ongoing IPL match in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.
This escalation comes just a day after New Delhi launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ - a targeted military strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) -in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
