India-Pakistan tensions: Asian airlines re-route, cancel flights

Several Asian airlines said on Wednesday they were re-routing or cancelling flights to and from Europe because of tensions between India and Pakistan.

India attacked Pakistan and Pakistan said it had shot down five Indian fighter jets.

Taiwan’s EVA Air 2618 said that it will adjust its flights to and from Europe to avoid airspace affected by the clashes between India and Pakistan for safety reasons.

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One flight from Vienna will be diverted back to that city, while a flight from Taipei to Milan will be diverted to Vienna for refuelling before continuing on to its destination, the airline said in a statement to Reuters.

Korean Air said it had begun rerouting its Seoul Incheon–Dubai flights on Wednesday, opting for a southern route that passes over Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India, instead of the previous path through Pakistani airspace.

Thai Airways said that flights to destinations in Europe and South Asia would be rerouted starting early on Wednesday morning, warning this could cause delays to some flights.

Vietnam Airlines said that the tensions between India and Pakistan had affected its flight plans and would provide details regarding re-routing schedules later.

Taiwan’s China Airlines said it had activated its contingency plan and “taken a series of measures to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew”. It did not elaborate.

The website of Taiwan’s main international airport at Taoyuan, outside Taipei, showed that Wednesday’s China Airlines non-stop flight to London had been cancelled.