Airliners-India.com

The_Goat

NEW DELHI: Indian carriers are increasingly seeking the government's nod to fly to the Gulf from western India (mainly Ahmedabad) over the Arabian Sea to avoid the circuitous route over Pakistan. Security fears due to deteriorating India-Pakistan ties+ as well as economic factors are driving the requests.
Air India, Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet operate flights to Gulf over Pakistan. "In the past few days, India has asked some non-scheduled aircraft flying from Pakistan to return and Pakistan may also retaliate. This is one fear that is behind the demand and the other is pure and simple cost factors," said an airline official.
SpiceJet has sought direct access for its flights from Ahmedabad to the Gulf under the " flexi-use of airspace+ ", which allows commercial aircraft to use the airspace reserved for air force and the navy. TOI has accessed a presentation made by SpiceJet to both defence and civil aviation ministries in this regard.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Let-us-skip-Pakistani-airspace-airlines-request-Centre/articleshow/53819239.cms

I take it that this applies only to flights operating from DEL and other North Indian destinations, maybe CCU as well.

But I fail to understand how it can be more economical to fly from, say DEL to DXB, by going over Ahmedabad. Isn't that a rather big diversion?
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I don't know which is the more pampered bunch : AI's widebodies (the aunties) or Jet's widebodies (the planes).
-Jasepl

sabya99 · Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 5:33 am Post subject:

I don’t blame pilots of desi airlines! When I fly over Faisalabad or Sargodha on a AI 101/102 flight, my aircraft takes complex maneuvering and it scares me. After all these cities are major nuke center of Pakistan, no desi aircraft should not fly near them.I have discussed these observations in my 2013 trip report. But complete ban on Pak air space will not be possible.I think both nations must come into some understanding. God bless the subcontinent!
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Sabya99