After days of heightened military activity and suspended air traffic, flight operations have resumed at 32 Indian airports near the India-Pakistan border following a ceasefire agreement. Airports in Jammu, Srinagar, Amritsar, Leh, Jodhpur, and Bhuj are among those where civilian flights are gradually being restored.
What Happened?
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 22 civilian lives, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This was followed by intense cross-border shelling, prompting authorities to suspend civilian air operations at 32 sensitive airports from May 9, 2025.
Airports Affected by the Closure
The suspended airports included strategic locations like:
- Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Amritsar
- Chandigarh, Jaisalmer, Jamnagar, Bhuj
- Ambala, Awantipur, Pathankot, Porbandar
- Others in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh
Current Flight Status
As per FlightRadar24 data around 12:30 pm IST on May 15, several flights were seen operating over Jammu, Amritsar, and parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Some commercial routes between Delhi and Srinagar also showed resumed activity.
Airline Announcements
IndiGo Airlines confirmed that flights across all temporarily suspended routes would resume starting May 15. Many had already taken off by Thursday noon.
Air India also declared progressive resumption of flights to/from key northern airports including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Bhuj, and Rajkot. The airline had continued only limited services to Srinagar earlier in the week.
Hajj Pilgrim Flights Prioritized
Authorities in Jammu & Kashmir reported that 11 flights operated from Srinagar International Airport on Wednesday, primarily to assist Hajj pilgrims en route to Medina. These included aircraft from SpiceJet and IndiGo.
Government Response and Ministerial Visit
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu is scheduled to visit Srinagar and Jammu airports, both of which were among the first to close after Operation Sindoor. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) officially announced the phased reopening on May 13, once calm returned to the border regions.
Looking Ahead
The resumption of civil aviation signals a return to normalcy in the border regions. However, authorities remain on alert, with air traffic control and security coordination under enhanced surveillance.
Conclusion
India’s airspace over sensitive border zones is once again active after nearly a week of shutdown due to geopolitical tensions. Passengers are advised to check with individual airlines for updated flight schedules and airport-specific advisories as full-scale operations resume gradually.
Related Read: Full Timeline: Operation Sindoor and India-Pakistan Border Conflict
External Resource: Live Flight Tracking on FlightRadar24