Asian airlines divert, cancel flights to avoid Pakistan

Market: Oil products
07/05/25

Asian airlines have announced diversions or cancellation of flights to avoid the Pakistani airspace, against the backdrop of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Most regional airlines' flights have been avoiding the airspace above Pakistan and neighboring west India regions since 6 May, according to data from FlightRadar24. Just a handful of flights flew over Pakistan shortly after Pakistan's Airports Authority issued a safety notice to pilots, known as Notam, announcing the reopening of airspace over Lahore and Karachi on 7 May.

Pakistan announced a 48-hour closure of its airspace on 6 May, suspending all domestic and international flights following India's attacks on nine targets in Pakistan.

India's flag carrier Air India has cancelled all its flights to and from domestic stations including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amrisar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot, until at least noon of 7 May.

Singapore Airlines Group's Singapore Airlines (SIA) and budget arm Scoot have also been avoiding Pakistani airspace and using alternative flight paths since 6 May, according to the group.

Two major Taiwanese airlines also announced their protocols in response to the situation. Taiwan's Eva Air said on 7 May that flights to and from Europe region might be influenced because of the closure of Pakistan's airspace. Fellow Taiwanese airline China Airlines have also cancelled or diverted at least six flights between Taiwan and Europe since 6 May in response to the escalating tensions.

Escalating conflicts could cause prolonged disruptions on flight schedules between the Middle East and Pakistan, as well as between Asia and Europe.

This comes at a time when regional airlines are already negatively impacted by flight disruptions in the Middle East.

Pakistan is a typical jet fuel importer in South Asia. The country has imported around 6,600 b/d jet fuel in the first quarter of 2025, according to Pakistan's Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC). Pakistan's state-owned PSO has a market share of 99pc of the country's jet fuel market.

By Lu Yawen

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