(This story originally appeared in on Oct 5, 2016)

Pakistan lies in key corridor for air traffic

Commercial flights barred

NEW DELHI: Pakistan is closing the airspace over Karachi and Lahore for 18 hours a day for 13 days starting October 8 citing “operational reasons”.Defence and aviation experts here said it could be to free up the area of commercial flights for its air force to carry out war games.While military exercises aren’t unusual, experts said closing of two busy airspaces for such a long period is — an aviation expert said this is probably the longest closure of airspace by Pakistan in “recent memory”.Indian officials are keenly tracking the development also because it is happening at a time tensions between India and Pakistan are high following the terrorist attack in Uri and the surgical strikes by India on terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.“The restrictions seem to be part of an air combat exercise. We know that the annual High Mark exercise is currently on and there have been restrictions in the past week on flights in PoK as well,” said a senior Indian Air Force officer.Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, however, said it was only a coincidence that the air exercise was happening at this time.The development is unlikely to cause any disruptions to operation of international flights into and out of India as alternative routes have been provided, said an air traffic control official. Pakistan lies in a key corridor for air traffic from Europe and the Middle East to Asia, including India.In recent weeks, Pakistan had also briefly restricted commercial flights from flying low over Karachi and Lahore. The airspace closure will begin on October 8, and go on till October 22, 2016, in three phases — first between October 8 and 13, then from October 15 to 20 and again on October 22.A Notice to Airmen issued by the Pakistani authorities provides alternative routes for overflying flights. But operations of flights within Pakistan will be impacted.“Route segments of international routes within Lahore and Karachi FIRs (Flight Information Regions) will not be available from ground to FL450 (45,000 feet),” the notice said.A civil aviation industry insider said closure of airspace up to 45,000 feet means banning all commercial flights, as no commercial flights fly that high.“This long closure would be for the Pakistani Air Force to exercise, which would like to exercise at a time there is tension between India and Pakistan,” said a commercial pilot, who was previously with Indian Air Force.The development comes also at a time the Indian government is discussing the possibility of snapping aviation ties with Pakistan, as ET reported first on September 29. The air traffic control official said alternative routes have been provided for the period when the restrictions will be in place.“This closure is unlikely to impact operations by our carriers flying international, as the closure is not for full 24 hours during the day and alternative routes are being provided,” the official said, requesting anonymity.