Air India Seeks China Route As Pakistan Airspace Ban Hits Finances

Air India has asked the Indian government to speak to China and request permission to use a restricted military airspace corridor in Xinjiang. The airline says that this step is now necessary because Pakistan’s decision to block Indian carriers from using its airspace is causing serious financial and operational problems.

Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines in April after diplomatic tensions increased between the two countries. As a result, Air India has been forced to fly much longer routes to the United States, Canada and Europe. Some flights are taking up to three extra hours, and fuel expenses have risen sharply. According to internal estimates, this situation is costing the airline around 455 million dollars each year, which is more than the company’s 439 million dollar loss in the previous financial year.

To solve this, Air India wants permission to fly through Chinese airspace in Xinjiang, which includes areas around Hotan, Kashgar and Urumqi. Using this corridor would shorten flight distances and reduce fuel costs. It could also remove the need for extra stops, such as technical landings in Kolkata, which are currently required on some routes due to the longer flight paths. Air India believes that if China agrees, it would be able to restore lost passenger capacity and reduce weekly losses by more than one million dollars.

However, getting approval may not be easy. The Xinjiang airspace is located in a sensitive region that is heavily controlled by China’s Western Theater Command, responsible for military operations along the India-China border. The area is surrounded by high mountain ranges, which makes emergency handling difficult. Because of the military presence and security restrictions, most international airlines do not fly through this zone.

The situation is also affected by the changing global aviation environment. International air travel has already been disrupted by conflicts in other regions. Airlines from the United States, for example, are banned from using Russian airspace due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, which previously gave Air India an advantage on non-stop India–U.S. routes. But the closure of Pakistani airspace has now weakened that advantage. Air India had to suspend its Delhi–Washington route in August, and other routes such as Mumbai and Bengaluru to San Francisco are becoming difficult to operate as longer flights increase costs and reduce aircraft capacity. Many passengers are now choosing foreign carriers that are able to fly through Pakistan and offer shorter travel times.

Air India, which is now owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, is trying to rebuild its international network. The airline was already facing challenges after a major setback earlier this year when a Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed in Gujarat, causing a temporary reduction in flights while safety checks were completed. With the airspace blockage continuing, the airline has asked the government for temporary financial support until the situation improves.

The airline is also dealing with older tax disputes worth more than 725 million dollars from the period before it was sold by the government in 2022. Although the government had provided protection against such claims during the sale process, new notices have been issued and the airline says they are creating additional financial pressure.

Air India hopes that diplomatic engagement with China will provide a solution that stabilizes operations, reduces heavy losses and helps restore normal international service until Pakistan reopens its skies to Indian carriers.