India's private airlines request govt to allow them skip Pakistani airspace

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Continuous deterioration in the India-Pakistan ties has led to a lot of apprehensions, fresh being the aviation industry's concerns on the security aspect.

As per a report in the Times of India, India's private airlines have approached the government seeking to allow them skip Pakistani airspace for flying to Gulf countries.

In addition to the security aspects it is also economic concerns that these airlines have cited in order to avoid the Pakistani airspace, the TOI reported.

Airlines such as SpiceJet, Indigo, Jet Airways and Air India that operate flight to Gulf countries have requested the government to allow them take off the flight to Gulf from western India (mainly Ahmedabad) over the Arabian Sea.

SpiceJet in a presentation has requested the Government to give direct access for its flights “from Ahmedabad to the Gulf under the flexi-use of airspace", TOI said. It refers to the airspace reserved for air force and the navy.

However, the defense ministry is yet to take any call on this.

SpiceJet's request is also backed by two reasons –it will help save the company Rs 1 lakh on such trips while it will also help cut down carbon emissions.