TAIPEI/NEW DELHI — Following India’s strike on nine sites in Pakistan on May 7, several airlines, including United Airlines and Korean Air, either rerouted or canceled flights, and about a dozen Indian airports were shut down. The escalation of tensions raised concerns over further conflict. India targeted Pakistani Kashmir, and Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets. This confrontation came after an Islamist militant attack that killed 26 people in Indian Kashmir last month. India stated it struck "terrorist infrastructure" connected to the killings, but Pakistan denied the existence of such camps within its borders.

Flight tracking data revealed a significant number of flights passing over Oman, UAE, and Kuwait after the attack, raising concerns about airspace congestion. Pakistani authorities reported that 57 international flights were in its airspace during India’s strike. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office expressed concerns that India’s actions endangered commercial airlines, particularly those from Gulf countries. India’s civil aviation ministry did not immediately comment on Pakistan’s statement. Both India and Pakistan had already closed their airspaces to each other’s airlines in recent days. Global carriers like Lufthansa also began avoiding Pakistani airspace.

Aviation advisory group OPSGROUP warned that if the conflict persists, Pakistan might impose a full airspace closure, similar to the one it enacted from February to August 2019. Domestic flight schedules were also affected, with 3% of scheduled flights in India and 17% in Pakistan canceled by 1030 GMT, according to Flightradar24. India’s largest airline, IndiGo, announced the cancellation of 165 flights until Saturday morning. Other carriers like Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air also canceled flights.

Pakistan stated that its airspace had reopened following the closure after the attacks, and its airports were fully operational. However, images from FlightRadar24 showed civilian flights continuing over Pakistan, though India’s northwest airspace remained empty. The disruptions in airline schedules were expected to further complicate operations in the Middle East and South Asia, regions already impacted by ongoing conflicts. KLM announced it would avoid flying over Pakistan until further notice, while Singapore Airlines had halted its flights over Pakistani airspace since May 6.

Korean Air started rerouting its Seoul-Incheon to Dubai flights on May 7, opting for a southern path over Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India, instead of crossing Pakistani airspace. United Airlines canceled its flight to Delhi, citing "airspace limitations." American Airlines adjusted its New Delhi operations, allowing affected customers to alter their plans without penalty. Thai Airways also rerouted flights to Europe and South Asia, and Taiwan’s China Airlines reported disruptions on routes to London, Frankfurt, and Rome.

Flights from India to Europe were also taking longer detours. For instance, Lufthansa flight LH761 from Delhi to Frankfurt took approximately 30 minutes longer than usual. The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines raised concerns about the impact of conflicts on airline operations, emphasizing the heightened safety risks, particularly regarding GPS spoofing, which can interfere with flight navigation over conflict zones. GPS spoofing involves manipulating satellite signals, potentially leading aircraft off course.