Flight suspensions after Operation Sindoor disrupt plans for travel to border states

Deepak Nawanda, 37, founder of Saffron Holidays India Pvt Ltd, said, “After the operation carried out by the Indian Army, areas near the border like Jodhpur, Amritsar, Leh, Jammu, and Kashmir are on high alert. Flights booked through my agency to these destinations have all been cancelled as the airports are shut. I had 76 bookings for Srinagar, Kashmir, and Leh, all of which are now cancelled. Airlines are giving 100 per cent refunds as this is a government decision. Flights to Srinagar and Kashmir go from Pune, while flights to Leh, Jodhpur, and Amritsar operate from Mumbai. All these are now suspended. Tickets booked for Rs 35,000 a few days ago are now down to Rs 15,000–Rs 28,000. The flights affected include those by SpiceJet, Air India Express, IndiGo, and Akasa Airlines.”

Alex Peter, 44, owner of Fly Lemon Travel & Forex Pvt Ltd, said, “After Operation Sindoor, all flights to Jammu, Kashmir, Leh, and nearby regions have been stopped. I had about 63 bookings to Srinagar and Leh, all cancelled. Most of our clients were flying from Mumbai and Pune. Airlines like IndiGo and Air India Express are giving full refunds, but there’s a lot of confusion. Many of these trips were planned months ago. There are some who have requested a flight reschedule for which we are working on it. The big concern now is we don’t know how long this suspension will last. Ticket prices have dropped by 10-18 per cent, and that’s hurting the travel business badly.”

Star Air issued a public advisory, stating “Due to changing airspace conditions in the region, our flights to/from Nanded, Hindon, Adampur, Kishangarh, and Bhuj stand cancelled for the day. We are anticipating changes in flight schedules across our network and sincerely advise all customers to stay updated on their flight status before heading to the airport or call us at ‪+91 2250799555.”

Aarush Jadhav, 49, of Agrawal Holidays Agency, said “We had nearly 52 confirmed bookings for destinations like Jammu, Srinagar, and Leh this week. All are cancelled because of the airspace shutdown. Direct flights from Pune to Srinagar and from Mumbai to Leh are suspended. Ticket prices had touched Rs 32,000 last week. Now nearby route fares have fallen to Rs 14,000. We had group packages with hotels and taxis already arranged. That adds to the financial pressure. We’re waiting for official updates to decide what to do next.”

Deepali Gavane of Pune-based Airavat Journeys said, “Passengers are calling us constantly to ask about their tours. Many are confused and unsure about what to do. As a tour operator, it’s difficult to give clear answers when the situation is so unpredictable.”

Ranjit Patil from Cloud Holidays said, “Either a full refund will be provided or the flight and tour will be rescheduled. But rescheduling seems unlikely right now. Everything has changed suddenly, and it’s hard to proceed with any certainty.”

The sudden change has also affected individual travellers and families.

Ritu Sharma, 36, a passenger, said, “I was supposed to travel to Srinagar with my husband and two kids. We booked from Pune and paid Rs 33,000 per ticket. We got a message last night that the flight was cancelled. The agency assured us of a full refund, but our hotel was booked separately. Now we are thinking of visiting somewhere in the south instead, but nothing is confirmed yet.”

Sonali Raut, 23, from Pune, who had planned a trekking trip to Leh, said, “We were packed and ready when we saw the cancellation news on social media. At first, we thought it was fake. But then we heard about Operation Sindoor. It’s scary – military activity, uncertainty, and not knowing when things will be normal. Even my travel partner was visibly anxious. People around us were panicking. I just hope things settle soon.”