Pakistan has extended the closure of its airspace to Indian airlines and aircraft by another month till January 23, according to a fresh notice to airmen issued by the country’s aviation authorities, PTI reported.

The airspace was first closed to Indian airlines on April 24, two days after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The initial ban, imposed for one month, barred Indian-registered aircraft and aircraft operated, owned or leased by Indian airlines from overflying Pakistani airspace, The Indian Express reported.

India responded on April 30 by closing its airspace to Pakistani airlines and aircraft.

Since then, both countries have extended the restrictions periodically.

While Indian and Pakistani airlines are barred from using each other’s airspace, both airspaces remain open to overflights by airlines from other countries.

Pakistan issued the latest extension a week before its previous notice is set to expire on November 24.

India’s reciprocal ban on Pakistani aircraft is also set to expire on November 24.

The prolonged closure has significantly affected flight operations, The Indian Express reported. Around 800 weekly flights operated by Indian airlines have been impacted, particularly those flying from North India to destinations in West Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom and eastern North America, the newspaper reported.

These flights have been forced to take longer routes, increasing journey times by anywhere between 15 minutes and several hours, depending on the destination.

The diversions have also led to higher fuel consumption and increased complexity in crew and flight scheduling, contributing to increased operational costs for airlines.