Indians Stranded in Almaty After Indigo Suspends Flights Over Pakistan Airspace Ban
NEW DELHI: The sudden suspension of Indigo Airlines’ Almaty operations, effective April 27, has left hundreds of Indian travelers stranded in Kazakhstan amid Pakistan’s unexpected closure of its airspace to Indian flights. For many, particularly honeymooners and families, a dream vacation quickly turned into a logistical nightmare.
The picturesque city of Almaty, often dubbed the “budget Switzerland,” became a trap for Indian tourists who found themselves without a way back home as Indigo—India’s only direct carrier on the route—pulled out due to flight path disruptions.
One Indian family of four, including two elderly parents, had to split into two groups and book costly last-minute flights to return. Anita Krishnan (name changed), who had initially paid around ₹18,000 for her Indigo ticket, had to shell out ₹75,000 for an alternative Air Asthana flight to Mumbai.
Her brother, S Karthick, and his wife had a similarly difficult experience, paying ₹75,708 to return to Bengaluru via Sharjah on Air Arabia, compared to their original ₹33,205 Indigo fare.
“Many Indian families with senior citizens and newlywed couples were stuck. It was chaos,” Anita said. “We repeatedly tried reaching Indigo’s support lines, but only after escalating the issue to the Indian Consulate in Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Civil Aviation did things start moving.”
Responding to the crisis, an Indigo spokesperson confirmed, “The ticket fare of all the affected passengers is being fully refunded.”
The airline’s move comes in the wake of geopolitical tensions that prompted Pakistan to shut its airspace to Indian carriers—affecting several flight routes over Central Asia. With limited options and rising ticket prices, travelers are now relying on third-country stopovers, increasing both cost and travel time.
