Flight Operations Resume At Srinagar Airport After Five-Day Suspension

Srinagar: Commercial flight operations resumed at Srinagar airport on Tuesday after a five-day suspension triggered by heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. The resumption comes in the wake of a ceasefire announcement between the two countries, ending days of uncertainty and disruption across northern India’s airspace.

The first flight, Air India (AI 827), began passenger check-in at Delhi airport, departed at 11:47 am and landed at Srinagar at around 1 pm, airport officials confirmed.

"Today, we are operating a total of eight flights (to and from) Srinagar airport. IndiGo is expected to resume operations from tomorrow,” Javed Anjum, Director of Srinagar Airport, told ETV Bharat.

Flight services had come to a complete halt on May 7 following an escalation between India and Pakistan, just weeks after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam.

Data shared by airport authorities reveal a steep decline in both flight and passenger traffic. Between April 1 and April 22, Srinagar airport handled 1,920 flights and over 3,66,000 passengers. In contrast, the period from April 23 to May 8 saw only 1,162 flights and 1,47,090 passengers—a drop of 45% in footfall and a 19% reduction in flight operations.

Once a bustling hub accommodating nearly 20,000 passengers a day during peak tourist season, Srinagar airport witnessed an abrupt fall in traffic after the terror attack.

On Monday evening, barely hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first address to the nation following Operation Sindoor and the meeting of the DGMOs of India and Pakistan, security forces were engaging suspected drones observed along the International Border in the Samba district of Jammu region.

Later, the Army said the situation was under full control and calm, however, several areas witnessed blackouts in Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Jammu and both Air India and IndiGo announced cancellations to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and other key northern cities.

Air India, in a public advisory on X (formerly Twitter), said: “In view of the latest developments and keeping your safety in mind, flights to and from Jammu, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot are cancelled for Tuesday, 13th May. We are monitoring the situation and will keep you updated.”

IndiGo had issued a similar statement, saying: “The cancellations were made in view of recent developments, prioritising passenger safety. We understand how this may disrupt your travel plans, and regret the inconvenience caused. Our teams are actively monitoring the situation and will promptly keep you informed of further updates.”

Read more:

1. Air India, Indigo Cancel Flight Ops At Multiple Airports Amid Security Concerns
2. 32 Airports, Closed Due To India-Pakistan Conflict, To Reopen For Flight Operations In Phased Manner