Over four months after Balakot strikes, Pak reopens airspace

New Delhi: Normal air traffic operations between India and Pakistan resumed on Tuesday with Islamabad opening its airspace for all civilian flights, nearly four-and-half months after shutting it down following the Balakot airstrikes.

Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) at 12.41 am (IST), stating that the country's airspace has been opened with immediate effect for all types of civil traffic on "published ATS (air traffic service) routes".

Following Pakistan's move, India also issued a "revised NOTAM", announcing that normal air traffic operations have resumed between the two countries.

"Consequent to Pakistan issuing NOTAM to lift all airspace restrictions, relevant authorities have informed that India has also issued revised NOTAM immediately thereafter. With this, normal air traffic operations have resumed through all Flight Information Regions between India and Pakistan," a government source told PTI.

Hours later, India's Civil Aviation Ministry said flights had started using the closed air routes, bringing great relief to airlines and air passengers.

"After cancellation of NOTAMS by Pakistan and India in the early hours today, there are no restrictions on airspaces of both countries, flights have started using the closed air routes, bringing a significant relief for airlines," the Twitter handle of the ministry said.

"This is great news. Big relief to air passengers," it added. The move is expected to give major relief to Air India, which suffered a financial loss of around Rs 491 crore as it had to re-route various international flights due to the closure of Pakistan airspace.