Pakistan Airspace Closure

[33kft]

Due to the current skirmish, access to Pakistani airspace has been restricted. Previous North India airspace closures have been reopened, however. The relevant current closure notice is below:

Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan has officially closed its airspace until further notice & issued NOTAM.
A0200/19 (Issued for OPKR OPLR) - PAKISTAN AIRSPACE IS CLOSED. 27 FEB 07:30 2019 UNTIL 28 FEB 23:59 2019 ESTIMATED.

Looks like this is affecting some long-haul flights. This from SQ:

Singapore to London
1. SQ308 operating from Singapore to London on 27 February 2019 will stop in Dubai for re-fuelling before proceeding to London.
2. SQ318 operating from Singapore to London on 27 February 2019 will stop in Mumbai for re-fuelling before proceeding to London.

Singapore to Frankfurt
1. SQ326 operating from Singapore to Frankfurt on 27 February will stop in Mumbai for re-fuelling before proceeding to Frankfurt, provided it is able to arrive in Frankfurt before the airport’s curfew.

However, due to the delay, SQ325 operating from Frankfurt to Singapore on 27 February is cancelled and passengers will be transferred to other airlines.

All other flights that overfly affected airspace will be rerouted, but are due to operate as scheduled at this point.

 

[Mattg]

There were a lot of cancellations ex BKK. Thai Airways had to cancel all of its flights to Europe last night.

Thai Airways cancels all European flights

Do you we have any idea if the disruption here is likely to be ongoing?

 

[PineappleSkip]

Above is the track of Kam Air from DEL to KBL, which I’ve caught in a former life. Normally a 1½ hour flight, but five hours tonight. Seems plenty of airlines are finding workarounds.

Mrs Pineapple flew AY132 SIN-HEL on 26 Feb, and according to FR24, managed to depart Pakistan airspace 4 hours before the closure. That flight was cancelled on 27 Feb, but is in the air again tonight on a more southerly course. I presume the airlines need time to obtain new overflight permissions.

Busy at any time, but awfully crowded skies along the top of the Arabian Sea and up the Persian Gulf tonight!

 

[Himeno]

The NOTAM advising of the airspace closure was due to expire at midnight UTC last night. It's been extended. The extended closure is listed to expire in around 3 hours.

 

[Himeno]

They've partly reopened the airspace. Limited to a few airways.

PAKISTAN AIRSPACE WILL REMAIN CLOSED FOR ALL OPERATIONS TILL 04TH MARCH 2019,TIME 0800 Coordinated Universal Time(Estimate) EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING: FLIGHT OPERATIONS ONLY TO/FROM KARACHI INTERNATIONAL, PESHAWAR INTERNATIONAL, QUETTA INTERNATIONAL AND ISLAMABAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS WITH RESTRICTED ENTRY/EXIT AS FOLLOWS WILL BE AVAILABLE West.East.F 01ST MARCH'2019 TIME 1300 Coordinated Universal Time. I) ALPOR-LAKIV-KA-BEGIM-KC II) METBI/EGRON-JI-LAKIV-KA-BEGIM-KC III) ASVIB/KEBUD-PG-DOSTI-KC IV) KC-BEGIM-MELOM-PARET-TAPDO V) KC-BEGIM-MELOM-PARET-PG-ASVIB/KEBUD VI) KC-BEGIM-MELOM-PARET-JI-EGRON/METBI VII) JI/ASVIB/DERBO-KALAT-PARLO-ZB-HANGU-OPPS AND VICE VERSA VIII) JI/ASVIB/DERBO-KALAT-PARLO-ZB-HANGU-KALMI-OPIS AND VICE VERSA IX) OPPS/OPIS-HANGU-LAJAK/DOBAT(VIA REGET)/SITAX(VIA SAJAN) AND VICE VERSA X) OPKC-PG-KALAT-PARLO-ZB-HANGU-Plus Direct (in relation to flight plan clearances and type of approach) 3550N07210E Direct (in relation to flight plan clearances and type of approach) PURPA AND VICE VERSA XI) OPIS-HANGU-Plus Direct (in relation to flight plan clearances and type of approach) 3550N07210E Direct (in relation to flight plan clearances and type of approach) PURPA AND VICE VERSA XII) OPKC PARET PG G325 Plus Direct (in relation to flight plan clearances and type of approach) 3550N07210E Direct (in relation to flight plan clearances and type of approach) PURPA AND VICE VERSA XIII) DOMSTIC OPERATION Between OPIS/OPPS AND OPKC WILL BE Available ON ROUTE OPIS/OPPS-HANGU G325 PG DOSTI KC XIV) DOMESTIC OPERATION Between OPKC AND OPPS/OPIS WILL BE Available ON ROUTE KC-PARET-PG G325 HANGU-OPPS/OPIS XV) DOMESTIC OPERATION Between OPQT AND OPKC WILL BE Available ON ROUTE OPQT-KALAT G325 PG DOSTI KC XVI) DOMESTIC OPERATION Between OPKC AND OQT WILL BE Available ON ROUTE KC-PARET-PG G325 HANGU-KALAT-OPQT.