India considers air space denial to Pak
Govt may ban overflight facilities, which could make flights longer and costlier for both countries
MUMBAI/ NEW DELHI: India is likely to review its air links with Pakistan, a move aimed at scaling down engagement with the neighbour, which it holds responsible for the September 18 terror attack on the Uri army base that killed 18 soldiers.
New Delhi is already reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty to explore ways to make optimum use of water from Pakistan-controlled rivers — as stipulated in the agreement but not enforced fully.
These are part of non-military retributive steps the government has initiated after the Uri attack, apart from stepping up efforts to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.
If New Delhi decides to ban air links and overflight facilities with Pakistan — as it had done after the Parliament attack in December 2001 — it might have implications for flyers from both countries who would have to pay more and spend longer flying hours.
Sources privy to the government’s deliberations over antiPakistan measures said after the Indus Waters Treaty, a review of the air services agreement with Pakistan was next on the agenda.
Under the existing bilateral agreement, airlines from each side can operate 12 flights a week. While no Indian airlines flies to Pakistan, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operates to Delhi and Mumbai. If PIA flights are banned over Indian airspace, they will need to take a long detour to fly to Bangladesh and destinations in Southeast Asia.
“Airlines are forced to change routes only in case of an airspace closure. In this case, airlines from the two countries will have to revise routes and prepare themselves for fat fuel bills,” said an ex-official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation requesting anonymity.
According to industry experts, if New Delhi decides to snap air links, there might not be an immediate impact on fares, but airlines could pass the burden on to passengers in the long run.
“The rise in prices could go up to 20% since jet fuel accounts for almost half the operation cost of an airline,” said a member of the Civil Aviation Economic Advisory Council, an independent think-tank appointed by the government in 2012.
When India snapped air services with its neighbour after the Parliament attack, Air India was the only airline that operated international flights.
The national carrier’s flying time for West-bound flights increased by up to an hour and its annual fuel bills rose by around `40 crore during the two-year closure, said a retired official from the air traffic control department.
A similar situation now will hurt Pakistan more because all its east-bound flights will require a long detour through China.
“Our Europe and US-bound flights will become longer by 45 minutes to an hour,” said a Boeing commander with a private airline requesting anonymity.
For instance, a 9.45-hour Mumbai-London flight that travels through Karachi would fly above Iran and reach the destination an hour later, the pilot said.