IndiGo suspends direct flights to Almaty, Tashkent till June 14. How it impacts your cheap Europe vacation

IndiGo has extended the suspension of its direct flights to Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) until June 14 due to operational limitations linked to ongoing airspace restrictions. The airline, which had initially paused these services until May 7, confirmed the extended suspension on May 8, attributing the decision to aircraft range constraints following the closure of Pakistan’s airspace.

The closure of Pakistani airspace from April 24, following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, has necessitated significant route alterations for Indian carriers operating westbound flights. As a result, longer flight paths have rendered certain routes infeasible for narrow-body aircraft such as those in IndiGo’s fleet, which are typically deployed on short- to medium-haul international sectors.

“Unfortunately, Almaty and Tashkent are outside the operational range of IndiGo’s current fleet,” the airline said in a statement, confirming that services to these destinations will remain suspended through June 14.

IndiGo had earlier acknowledged that approximately 50 of its international routes would require longer sectors due to the restricted routing options, and that some schedule adjustments were likely. The airline initially suspended its Delhi-Almaty flights from April 27 and Delhi-Tashkent flights from April 28 through May 7, but extended the suspension in light of the continuing geopolitical developments.

The situation follows a series of retaliatory actions taken by both India and Pakistan in the wake of the April 24 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of at least 26 individuals. In response, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines, and India reciprocated on April 30 by barring Pakistani carriers from flying over Indian territory.

On May 8, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure and military assets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The Indian Armed Forces reported that they had struck multiple sites, including air defence systems in Lahore, in retaliation for what they described as a significant escalation by Pakistan the previous night.

 

What it means for cheap Europe experience

More and more Indians are now venturing abroad, driven by rising disposable incomes, increased global exposure, and the growing ease of international travel.

Indian travelers are also exploring new destinations, with Almaty in Kazakhstan and Baku in Azerbaijan showing the highest year-on-year growth in searches, at 527% and 395% respectively. One of the most popular destination cities in the world, Almaty recently came calling to India at SATTE 2022 to showcase its appeal and attractions and various tourism offerings to the Indian market. 

The biggest city of Kazakhstan and the financial capital of the country, Almaty is fast emerging as a popular destination with Indian outbound travellers for its lovely year-round weather, especially for Indian visitors who are exposed to much warmer climate, beautiful city setting surrounded by mountains, lakes, pristine nature and trees, big entertainment offerings, clubs, shopping malls and value-for-money buys, ski and mountain resorts and so much more.