• Major airlines including Lufthansa and Air France are avoiding Pakistani airspace.
• The rerouting of flights is a response to escalating tensions following a deadly attack in Kashmir.
• India has closed its airspace to Pakistan airlines while Pakistan has imposed similar restrictions.
• Longer flight times and increased fuel costs are impacting international travel logistics.
• Pakistan may face significant revenue losses from overflight fees due to these changes.

Air France and Germany's Lufthansa are among global carriers avoiding Pakistani airspace as tensions remain high between India and Pakistan after a deadly attack in Kashmir last month. Both countries have imposed airspace restrictions—India has closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines, while Pakistan has barred those operated by India, though it continues to permit international airlines to use its airspace, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The Lufthansa Group confirmed that its airlines are "avoiding Pakistani airspace until further notice," reflecting a commitment to monitor regional developments. This change has resulted in longer flight times, impacting various routes to Asia, specifically mentioned by Lufthansa Flight LH760, which had to take a longer route by nearly an hour on a recent flight, according to data from Flightradar24 and reported by Newsweek and The Jakarta Post.

Flight tracking indicates that other carriers such as British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines, and Emirates are altering their paths to circumvent Pakistani airspace by traveling over the Arabian Sea before turning towards their destinations in India. The shifts in flight paths are expected to contribute to rising operational costs for airlines, as detailed by sources including India Times and South China Morning Post.

The financial impact on Pakistan is significant as these alterations are poised to reduce the country’s earnings from overflight fees, which can be substantial depending on the flight's parameters. As noted by aviation analyst Brendan Sobie, this situation may lead to considerable losses for airlines that depend heavily on routes through Pakistan, while also straining the nation's economic position given its existing financial vulnerabilities, as outlined in reports from Dawn and Channel News Asia.