New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced on Monday the issuance of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) for the reopening of 32 airports in northern and western India for civil flight operations, just three days after their temporary closure was extended until Thursday next (May 15) due to the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan involving drones, missiles, and long-range weapons, which raised concerns of a potential war. Additionally, a separate NOTAM was released for the reopening of international flight routes, confirming that all 25 routes are now operational.
According to two AAI officials, the process of reopening the airports has commenced. A NOTAM serves as a formal notification to aviation stakeholders regarding changes in the airspace of an airport or country. One of the NOTAMs indicated that airports within the Mumbai Flight Information Region, including Mundra, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, and Bhuj, have been reopened. Another NOTAM listed airports such as Srinagar, Jammu, Hindon, Sarsawa, Uttarlai, Awantipur, Ambala, Kullu, Ludhiana, Kishangarh, Patiala, Shimla, Kangra, Bathinda, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Halwara, Pathankot, Leh, and Chandigarh as resuming operations. Media has reviewed the NOTAMs.
An AAI official stated, ‘The process of issuing NOTAMs for all airports is ongoing and will be communicated shortly.’ He further noted that the resumption of flight operations will be contingent upon the respective airlines, emphasizing that reopening an airport is not a lengthy process, but airlines need time to plan their flights.
According to a second official from the AAI, the flight routes have been released, but airlines will require a few hours before they can begin utilizing them. The decision to reopen airports and routes was made after the Indian Air Force (IAF) reported early Monday that there were no activities in the border regions.
The IAF stated, ‘The night was predominantly peaceful across Jammu and Kashmir and other areas along the International Border, with no incidents reported, marking the first calm night in several days.’ Airports had been closed following precision strikes on nine terrorist targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday, part of Operation Sindoor conducted on May 7 in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
While operations at Delhi airport continued, some flight schedules were affected, and security checks took longer due to airspace conditions and heightened security measures mandated by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). Affected passengers were provided with a one-time waiver for rescheduling fees or a full refund for cancellations. Last Thursday, the BCAS issued an advisory for stricter security protocols at airports nationwide amid rising tensions with Pakistan, effective until May 18.
These measures included barring visitors from entering airports and halting the sale of visitor tickets, along with additional passenger and baggage checks at boarding gates beyond standard security screenings. Travelers across India were advised to arrive at their respective airports at least three hours prior to their scheduled departure to facilitate smooth check-in and boarding, with check-ins closing 75 minutes before departure.
