‘Thank you for your patience’: Delhi airport to flyers as 32 airports reopen after ceasefire

The decision to suspend operations at these 32 northern and western airports was part of broader security and logistical measures undertaken after border tensions rose following India’s Operation Sindoor military action against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The closure, which was to be in place until 5.29 am on May 15 as per a series of notices to airmen issued the previous week, has been lifted with immediate effect.

Barring a few, the majority of these airports were located at defence airfields, with some seeing only a handful of commercial flights each day.

The affected airports include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Ambala, Ludhiana, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Uttarlai, Rajkot, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Dharamshala, Bathinda, Patiala, Pathankot, Shimla, Kishangarh, Hindon, Porbandar, Mundra, and Kandla.

The AAI announcement comes two days after the neighbouring countries agreed to a ceasefire. With the restriction now lifted, the AAI has urged passengers to check flight schedules with individual airlines and monitor updates posted on their websites.

IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, also issued a travel advisory confirming that flights are progressively resuming on the previously closed routes. “In line with the latest government directives, the airports are open for operations. We will progressively commence operations on the previously closed routes. As services gradually return to normal, there may still be a few delays and last-minute adjustments,” the advisory issued on X stated.

“We recommend checking your flight status regularly for the latest updates. As always, we will continue to keep you informed through our official channels,” Indigo added in its post on the social media platform.

The airline further announced that change and cancellation fee waivers for affected routes will remain available until May 22 for those reconsidering their travel plans.