India Travel Alert: Air India, IndiGo Cancel Flights Amid Heightened Security

Air India and IndiGo have cancelled multiple flights to northern and western Indian cities today, citing continued security concerns and operational limitations following recent tensions along the India-Pakistan border.

The cancellations come despite the reopening of 32 airports across northern, western, and central India on Monday, after nearly a week of closure due to airspace restrictions. These restrictions had been imposed in the wake of military escalations earlier this month, now eased following a formal ceasefire agreement.

Air India Cancels Flights to 8 Cities

Air India has suspended round-trip flights scheduled for May 13 to and from Jammu, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot.

“In view of the latest developments and keeping your safety in mind, flights to and from these destinations are cancelled for Tuesday,” the airline posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. “We are monitoring the situation closely and will keep passengers updated.”

IndiGo Suspends Operations in Affected Zones

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, issued a similar advisory late Monday night, announcing the cancellation of flights to Jammu, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Leh, Srinagar, and Rajkot for the same day.

"With your safety as our utmost priority, flights to and from affected airports are suspended for May 13," the airline said in a statement. It urged passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport and reiterated its commitment to passenger support.

Flight Forced to Return Mid-Air

On Monday, flight 6E2045, operated by IndiGo from Delhi to Amritsar, was forced to return to Delhi mid-flight due to security-related blackout procedures at Amritsar airport. Flightradar24 tracking data confirmed that the aircraft was in the air for some time before rerouting back.

Amritsar is among the airports that had resumed limited civilian operations earlier that day.

Flexible Support Measures for Passengers

To minimize inconvenience, IndiGo has introduced a series of flexible travel options for affected passengers:

• Free Rebooking: Passengers can reschedule their flights to nearby operational airports without incurring any additional charges.

• No Change or Cancellation Fees: IndiGo has waived standard fees for bookings impacted by the disruptions.

• Relief Flights: The airline said it is planning additional flights to accommodate stranded travelers and will announce further details as plans are finalized.

“We understand the uncertainty this situation may have caused and assure passengers that our team is here to help,” IndiGo said in its statement.

Background: Conflict and Ceasefire

The current disruptions stem from the fallout of an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that led to the closure of numerous airports and restricted airspace across several states starting May 7. A ceasefire brokered over the weekend allowed commercial operations to resume on a limited basis.

However, airline operators remain cautious, especially regarding routes near sensitive regions, amid lingering concerns over infrastructure readiness and potential security flashpoints.

Advisory to Travellers

Passengers are advised to check directly with their airlines for real-time updates and avoid non-essential travel to conflict-affected zones until normal operations are fully restored.