India Closes 32 Airports Till May 15 Amid Tensions with Pak

Due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan, India has extended the closure of 32 airports in 9 states until May 15. These airports are located in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Earlier, they were scheduled to remain closed only until May 10.

Amid rumors of fuel shortages, major oil companies — Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) — have assured the public that there is enough supply of petrol, diesel and cooking gas across the country.

Meanwhile, 138 domestic and international flights have been canceled at Delhi Airport over the past two days. Mumbai Air Traffic Control (ATC) is also under pressure, as it is now managing flights to Europe, North and South America due to Pakistan closing its airspace.

India’s civil aviation authority has issued a new advisory requiring passengers to undergo double security checks. Airlines including Air India, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and IndiGo are advising passengers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before their flight.