European airlines reroute flights to avoid Pakistani airspace as tensions with India escalate

European carriers including Lufthansa, British Airways, SWISS, ITA Airways, and LOT Polish Airlines have begun rerouting flights to avoid Pakistani airspace, even as Pakistan had already closed certain airways to Indian carriers. The development adds further strain to international air routes amid rising regional tensions.

Flight tracking platform Flightradar24 reported that from April 30, several European airlines began altering flight paths to avoid northern Pakistani air corridors, which were declared unavailable through official Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) valid until May. On May 2, Lufthansa, ITA Airways, and LOT Polish Airlines also started diverting flights away from Pakistan.

Affected flights include Lufthansa’s services on routes such as Munich–Delhi, Frankfurt–Mumbai, Frankfurt–Hyderabad, and Bangkok–Munich. Similarly, LOT’s Warsaw–Delhi and ITA Airways’ Rome–Delhi flights were seen bypassing Pakistan. These diversions have added up to an hour of extra flying time.

A senior executive from a major European airline told TOI, “We are constantly monitoring the situation. The moment India–Pakistan conflict escalates, all flights will steer clear of the conflict zones. Airlines have done their last-minute rerouting as many planes will be en route when and if the conflict escalates.”

Despite the trend, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines confirmed that it continues to use Pakistani airspace after evaluating its own safety protocols. “In conducting its operations, KLM always prioritises safety of passengers and staff. Selecting safe and optimal routes is a standard part of our daily practice, and we continuously assess the safety situation... Based on current safety information, KLM and other airlines are currently flying over Pakistan,” the airline stated.

Each country and airline independently assesses risk when planning flight routes. If a region is considered unsafe—even in the absence of formal NOTAMs—they may choose to reroute aircraft to maintain safety.