Operation Sindoor: 27 airports including Leh, Amritsar and Jamnagar shut; over 400 flights cancelled
Amid cross-border tensions, 27 airports, including Leh, Amritsar and Jamnagar, have been shut till May 10. Over 400 flights remain cancelled, with major air routes disrupted and delays reported pan-India.
Amid heightened cross-border tensions following missile strikes by Indian armed forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on nine terror bases, 27 airports across northern, western, and central India have been shut for commercial operations. As per a Times of India report, this includes key hubs like Leh, Amritsar, and Jamnagar.
The move has led to widespread disruption of air traffic, with over 430 flights cancelled by Indian carriers on Thursday (May 8) alone. Delhi Airport issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) stating: "Due to changing airspace conditions, some flights have been impacted. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates and alternate travel arrangements."
International travel equally affected
At Delhi¡¯s Indira Gandhi International Airport, four international and 131 domestic flights were cancelled on Wednesday (May 7). According to airport officials, the affected international routes included flights to and from New York, Almaty, Toronto, and Montreal. Of the domestic flights, 66 were departures and 65 were arrivals. Live tracking platform FlightRadar24 reported delays in over 300 flights, with an average delay time of 14 minutes.
A total of 27 airports are now shut for civilian operations until 5:29 AM on May 10 (Saturday). These include tourist and strategic locations such as Leh, Amritsar, Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Shimla, and economic centres like Jamnagar, Rajkot, Bhuj, Jodhpur, and Bikaner. Other affected airports are Jaisalmer, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Halwara, Pathankot, Bhuntar, Gaggal, Kishangarh, Mundra, Porbandar, Kandla, Keshod, Gwalior, and Hindon. Some airports handling only military charters are also closed.
Passenger Advisory issued at 15:09 Hrs#DelhiAirport #PassengerAdvisory pic.twitter.com/jVe4zpj11H
¡ª Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) May 7, 2025
IndiGo Airlines has also announced the cancellation of all flights to and from the affected airports until May 10, alongside American Airlines cancelling its Delhi¨CNew York service. Air India also suspended flights to and from Leh, Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, Rajkot, and Jodhpur for the same duration. The airline confirmed that two of its international flights en route to Amritsar were diverted to Delhi.
Airspace over Pakistan and western India, particularly the corridor between Kashmir and Gujarat, has been cleared of civilian traffic. Most foreign airlines have rerouted flights through Mumbai and Ahmedabad, avoiding the sensitive zones, according to Flightradar24.
#6ETravelAdvisory: Due to changing airspace conditions in the region, our flights to and from #Srinagar, #Jammu, #Amritsar, #Leh, #Chandigarh and #Dharamshala are impacted. We request you to check your flight status at https://t.co/CjwsVzFov0 before reaching the airport.
¡ª IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) May 6, 2025
While many passengers reported delays and overnight disruptions, a few airlines have managed to provide hotel accommodation and meals. Flight operations remain under close watch, with further adjustments likely as the situation evolves. Stay tuned to Indiatimes for more information.
What is Operation Sindoor?
Operation Sindoor is the codename for a military operation launched by India on May 7, 2025, targeting multiple sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This action was in retaliation for a terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists.
The operation involved airstrikes on nine locations identified as terrorist infrastructure associated with groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). This included Markaz Subhan Allah (Bahawalpur) - JeM, Markaz Taiba (Muridke) - LeT, Sarjal (Tehra Kalan) - JeM, Mehmoona Joya (Sialkot) - HM, Markaz Ahle Hadith (Barnala) - LeT, Markaz Abbas (Kotli) - JeM, Maskar Raheel Shahid (Kotli) - HM, Shawai Nalla Camp (Muzaffarabad) - LeT and Syedna Bilal Camp (Muzaffarabad) - JeM.
#PahalgamTerrorAttack
¡ª ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 6, 2025
Justice is Served.
Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/Aruatj6OfA
India described the strikes as focused and non-escalatory, emphasising that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted. The Indian Air Force deployed Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs during the 23-minute operation.
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Aditya Sagar is a journalist at Indiatimes who pulls the strings on what¡¯s hot and what hits headlines. With entertainment in one hand and the internet¡¯s pulse in the other, he crafts stories that ripple through pop culture. Want to know what¡¯s next? Follow @theadityasagar - he already knows!
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