Pakistan Airspace Opened for Indian Flights: Reports

Pakistan has reopened its airspace to civil aviation with immediate effect the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan announced in a statement Tuesday.

“With immediate effect Pakistan airspace is open for all type of civil traffic on published ATS (Air Traffic Service) routes,” according to a notice to airmen (NOTAMS) published on the authority’s website.

It is not clear if the notice applies to flights originating from and going to India as Islamabad has closed its airspace for Indian flights on February 26 after the Indian Air Force struck a training camp in Balakot (Pakistan) in retaliation to the Pulwama terrorist attack in India on February 14.

India had also banned its airspace for flights to Pakistan affecting several dozen flights from Karachi and Islamabad to South East Asia.

Last week, a report from Islamabad, quoting Aviation Secretary Shahrukh Nusrat had said, "The Indian government had asked us to open the airspace. We conveyed our concerns that first India must withdraw its fighter planes placed forward. We are ready to open our airspace if India de-escalates."

US based United Airlines said last wek it was extending the suspension of its flights from the United States to Delhi and Mumbai in India until October 26, citing continued restrictions of Pakistani airspace. The overflight ban had increased airlines’ cost of operation and increased flying time by about an hour to major western destinations from India.