India-Pakistan tensions could disrupt Nepal’s air connectivity with third countries

Kathmandu, May 8

Growing tensions between India and Pakistan have led to the closure of Pakistani airspace for Indian airlines, though flights operated by third countries are not yet affected.

According to reports, India launched a missile attack on Pakistan late Tuesday night, prompting Pakistan to shut down all its airports. While Nepal’s aviation sector has not experienced any immediate impact, officials warn that an escalation into full-scale conflict could severely disrupt Nepal’s international air connectivity.

Currently, flights from Gulf nations and Europe reach Kathmandu by traversing the airspace of both India and Pakistan. If the situation deteriorates further—such as Pakistan launching missiles towards India or the conflict intensifying—commercial flights using this route could be suspended altogether.

Gyandendra Bhul, spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), explained, “If the route becomes too dangerous or is closed, third-country airlines flying to Nepal may be forced to suspend operations, at least temporarily.”

However, flights from Indian cities to Nepal are unlikely to be affected directly. “If Nepal-bound aircraft can no longer use Pakistani airspace, they will have to rely entirely on Indian air routes,” Bhul said. “That may increase flight durations slightly but won’t result in immediate flight cancellations.”

Flights from China, Bhutan, Malaysia, and Singapore, which enter Nepal from its eastern border, remain unaffected. Only flights coming via western Nepal are potentially at risk.

So far, no rescheduling or delay reports have been filed with CAAN, and authorities remain hopeful that the situation will not escalate further.

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