AAI reopens 32 airports after week-long suspension, civilian flights resume, ET TravelWorld

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced today that civilian flight operations have resumed at 32 airports in northern and western India, following a temporary suspension imposed amid heightened military tensions with Pakistan. The shutdown, which lasted from May 9 through 05:29 IST on May 15, was lifted after India and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to immediately cease all military actions on land, air and sea.

In an official statement, AAI said the following airports are now open for civilian operations with immediate effect:

“All 32 airports that were closed for civilian aircraft operations till 0529 hours on May 15 are now available for operations with immediate effect,” the authority noted.

Among the airports affected were key regional hubs such as Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala and Bikaner, along with smaller airports serving interior and border regions. The closures were announced via a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and were intended to allow security agencies to implement enhanced protective measures amid the standoff.

The week-long suspension disrupted hundreds of daily flights, forcing airlines to cancel or reroute services on critical domestic and international corridors. According to industry estimates, an average of 450 flights per day were impacted, affecting more than 60,000 passengers over the suspension period.

With the reopening, airlines have begun to restore normal schedules. IndiGo issued an advisory urging travelers to “check flight status directly with airlines and monitor their official websites for regular updates,” while also reminding customers that change and cancellation fee waivers remain available for travel to and from the affected airports until May 22, 2025.
While the return to normal operations is a positive signal, AAI cautioned that “as services gradually return to normal, there may still be a few delays and last-minute adjustments” as teams work to fully restore seamless operations across all 32 locations.

Travellers are advised to verify their flight status directly with the operating airline, monitor NOTAM updates for any late-breaking changes and plan for additional travel time at airports where security checks have been reinforced.