28 Apr 2025
In 2019, Pakistan closed its airspace for Indian carriers after the Pulwama attack, which cost it USD 760,000 daily.
Airlines pay an overflight fee to countries for using their airspace. A Boeing 737 crossing Pakistani airspace pays USD 580 in overflight fees; larger aircraft pay more.
Today, around 350 international flights cross its airspace daily. Overflight charges comprise around 20% of their annual civil aviation revenue. After the Pulwama attack, closing its airspace cost the Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority and Pakistan International Airlines around USD100 million in a few months. This included USD232,000 lost in daily overflight revenue.
Its total aviation revenue is expected to be over USD6 billion by 2029, compared to India’s estimated USD30 billion aviation revenue in 2025.
60% of the annual revenue comes from the east-to-west air corridor spanning 10,000 km, which connects Asia with the Middle East and Europe.
Closing the airspace is causing Pakistan heavy daily losses and operational delays, as well as longer flights and raised prices for Indian carriers.
Never miss another post from SalestorrsNews150. Follow Salestorrs on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram.