Flight Disruptions Follow India's Operation Sindoor As Delhi Airport Reports 90 Cancellations
In the aftermath of India's airstrikes on terrorist targets in Pakistan, Delhi Airport faced significant flight cancellations while 27 airports across Northern India remain under airspace restrictions until Saturday.
Air travel across India experienced substantial disruptions following Operation Sindoor, the military action in which Indian armed forces conducted strikes against alleged terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday. The operation, launched in response to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, has led to notable flight cancellations and airspace restrictions.
Delhi International Airport was particularly affected, with 90 flights cancelled between 8am and 2pm on Thursday. The cancellations included 46 domestic departures, 33 domestic arrivals, 5 international departures, and 6 international arrivals.
In response to the situation, Delhi Airport issued an advisory via social media platform X at 10:36am Thursday, stating: "All operations across Delhi Airport's terminals and its four runways are proceeding as usual. However, changing airspace conditions have impacted some flights. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the updated flight information." The airport management added that they were "working closely with all stakeholders to minimize any disruptions to flight schedules," emphasizing that "the safety and comfort of our passengers are our foremost priority."
As a security measure following Operation Sindoor on May 7, authorities closed 27 airports throughout the country to commercial flights. These restrictions will remain in effect until Saturday morning for various Northern Indian airports, including facilities in Hindon, Gwalior, Dharamshala, Shimla, and Amritsar, among others.
The Indian government released a statement at 1:44am on May 7 regarding Operation Sindoor, confirming that strikes had targeted nine locations allegedly used for "planning and directing terrorist attacks against India." The government characterized the military action as "focused, measured and non-escalatory," noting that "no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted" and highlighting India's "considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution." The operation was described as a response to "the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered."
