Uzbekistan Airways reroutes flights to India and Pakistan amid escalating tensions

Uzbekistan Airways has adjusted its flight routes to Pakistan and India amid an escalation in the armed conflict between the two nations, Spot writes with reference to the national air carrier’s press service.

Recently, Uzbekistan Airways has been operating flights to Lahore — Pakistan’s second-largest city — and New Delhi via predominantly southern routes, avoiding the Pakistan-controlled areas of Kashmir.

The airline explained that the slight changes to its flight paths were made to “enhance flight safety.” However, the adjustments are not expected to significantly affect operations, and Uzbekistan Airways will continue to serve destinations in Pakistan, India, and Southeast Asia. Additionally, the carrier plans to launch flights from Tashkent to Islamabad starting June 14.

Following the closure of Pakistani airspace, Russian airline Aeroflot also announced route changes. Flights from Moscow to India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the Seychelles, as well as return flights, will now follow alternative paths to bypass restricted zones, increasing average flight times by 1–2 hours.

According to Reuters, citing a representative from Pakistan International Airlines, the country’s authorities closed their airspace to all flights for 48 hours. This decision was linked to India’s military operation “Sindoor,” during which Indian forces reportedly struck nine targets within Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s private airline Qanot Sharq reported delays on its flights from Tashkent to Nha Trang — a popular resort destination in Vietnam. According to Flightradar24, flight HH2231, originally scheduled to depart at 1:50 a.m., was delayed by nearly 12 hours. At present, the aircraft has turned back over Pakistan and is returning to Uzbekistan.

“In connection with the closure of airspace over Pakistan following India’s ballistic missile strikes on Pakistani territory, flights to Nha Trang may experience delays or rerouting,” the airline stated.

Qanot Sharq noted that it is “closely monitoring the situation and doing everything possible to minimize inconvenience caused by the delays.”