Srinagar-Sharjah Flight: Go First is a low-cost airline that was beforehand known as GoAir (File)
Srinagar:
Pakistan has denied use of its airspace to a Srinagar-Sharjah direct flight – operated by low-cost airline Go First – that was inaugurated by Dwelling Minister Amit Shah throughout his go to to J&Ok final month.
The Civil Aviation, Exterior Affairs and Dwelling Affairs ministries had been knowledgeable of this improvement, authorities sources instructed information company ANI Wednesday.
The denial has raised questions over the viability of the flight, elevating fears it might meet the identical destiny because the 2009 Srinagar-Dubai service shelved attributable to low demand after Pak closed its airspace.
Re-routing of flights from Srinagar to the United Arab Emirates (to make sure it does not cross Pakistani airspace) provides over an hour of flying time, elevating gasoline and ticket prices.
The primary Srinagar-Sharjah flight took off on October 23.
Based on flight monitoring service Radar24, providers as much as October 30 crossed Pak airspace however on November 2 the airplane flew over Rajasthan and Gujarat, earlier than turning west over the Arabian Sea.
Go First has mentioned it plans to proceed providing the service (on alternate days) for now.
Former J&Ok Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has hit out on the authorities for clearing the flight with out laying the required groundwork; the PDP chief known as Mr Shah’s flagging off a “PR stunt”.
“Puzzling the Authorities of India did not even trouble securing permission from Pakistan to make use of its airspace for worldwide flights from Srinagar. PR extravaganza with out groundwork,” she tweeted.
One other ex-Chief Minister, Nationwide Convention chief Omar Abdullah, tweeted “very unlucky”.
“Very unlucky. Pakistan did the identical factor with the Air India Categorical flight from Srinagar to Dubai in 2009-2010. I had hoped Go First being permitted to overfly Pak airspace was indicative of a thaw in relations however alas that wasn’t to be,” Mr Abdullah tweeted.
Final month, as Amit Shah flagged off the primary Srinagar-Sharjah flight, Mr Abdullah had tweeted a phrase of warning, saying he hoped “Pakistan had a change of coronary heart…”
“Relating to the Srinagar-Sharjah flight introduced right this moment – has Pakistan had a change of coronary heart and allowed flights originating from Srinagar to make use of its airspace? If not then this flight will die the way in which the Srinagar-Dubai flight died throughout UPA2,” he tweeted.
Relating to the Srinagar-Sharjah flight that has been introduced right this moment – has Pakistan had a change of coronary heart & allowed flights originating from Srinagar to make use of its airspace? If not then this flight will die the way in which the Srinagar-Dubai flight died throughout UPA2.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 23, 2021
Pakistan has, nonetheless, been permitting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make use of its airspace.
Most just lately the Prime Minister’s airplane crossed Pak airspace to and from Europe, when he was attending the G20 and COP26 summits in Italy and Scotland, respectively. And in September, when the PM flew to the USA, his flight was additionally allowed to make use of Pak airspace.
With enter from ANI