Following aerial skirmishes between Pakistan and India, concerns over security—or possibly discomfort over the downing of Indian Rafale jets by the Pakistan Air Force—appear to be influencing Air France’s persistent avoidance of Pakistani airspace.
Despite the normalization of overflight routes for several international airlines, including Swiss Air, Lufthansa, British Airways, Emirates, and Etihad,
Air France continues to reroute its flights to Indian cities such as Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai through longer paths, bypassing Pakistani territory altogether.
According to Pakistan’s airport authority sources, while most foreign carriers have resumed overflights following the de-escalation, Air France remains an exception. Its continued detour results in significantly longer flight times and incurs additional fuel costs running into hundreds of thousands of dollars per flight cycle.
Notably, flights from various countries—including those to India—now cross over Pakistan as part of their standard routes.
However, like India’s own airlines, Air France continues to opt for alternate corridors, raising questions about whether the decision is rooted in geopolitical caution or operational policies shaped by recent military tensions.
