SINGAPORE: Six flights operated by Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its low-cost carrier Scoot were cancelled or rerouted on Wednesday (Feb 27) after heightened Pakistan-India tensions led to the closure of the Pakistan airspace and several Indian airports.
Out of the six, three were SIA flights headed to Europe from Singapore, said an airline spokesperson in response to Channel NewsAsia's queries.
AdvertisementSQ308 and SQ318 would stop in Dubai and Mumbai respectively to refuel before proceeding to London, said the spokesperson, while SQ326 would stop in Mumbai for refuelling before heading to Frankfurt, provided the aircraft was able to arrive ahead of the airport curfew.
SQ325, however, was cancelled, with its passengers transferred to other airlines.
"All other flights that overfly the affected airspace will be rerouted, but are due to operate as scheduled at this point," SIA added.
AdvertisementAdvertisementMeanwhile, more than 600 passengers were affected when Scoot cancelled two flights "due to the closure of Amritsar International Airport along with several other airports in India", said an airline spokesperson in response to queries.
The cancelled flights were TR508 from Singapore to Amritsar, scheduled to depart at 3.50pm local time, and TR509 from Amritsar to Singapore, due to have departed at 8.45pm local time.
[h=3]READ: Pakistan says it shot down 2 Indian aircraft in Kashmir, India confirms one pilot missing[/h][h=3]READ: Commercial flights to and from Pakistan, India disrupted as tensions rise[/h][h=3]READ: Pakistan PM Imran Khan warns of Kashmir escalation, offers talks with India[/h]Affected passengers were given the option of a refund or rebooking of a flight to other Scoot destinations in India.
“Scoot will monitor the situation, which remains fluid,” the airline said.
Pakistan carried out air strikes and shot down two Indian military jets on Wednesday, Pakistani officials said, a day after Indian warplanes struck inside Pakistan for the first time since a war in 1971, prompting leading powers to urge both of the nuclear-armed countries to show restraint.
Tension has been elevated since a suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police on Feb 14, but the risk of conflict rose dramatically on Tuesday when India launched an air strike on what it said was a militant training base.
Numerous commercial flights to Pakistan, including those operated by Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air and Qatar Airways, were suspended while British Airways was among those that were forced to reroute flights to avoid the affected airspace.
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