Chandigarh Airport serves a variety of significant domestic routes, including connections to major cities such as Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Leh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chennai, Patna, Pune, and Srinagar. Additionally, it operates two international flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accommodating around 10,000 passengers daily. However, all 52 flights from Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Mohali have been suspended indefinitely, following the Indian Air Force’s takeover of the airport on Wednesday morning. This action was prompted by India’s missile strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, part of “Operation Sindoor,” which was initiated in response to the tragic Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the loss of 26 lives. Ajay Kumar, the chief executive officer of Chandigarh International Airport Ltd (CHIAL), confirmed that the Air Force has assumed complete control over the airport, leading to the suspension of all domestic and international flights until further notice. It is important to note that while the Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages the civil terminal in collaboration with the Punjab and Haryana governments, the Chandigarh Air Force Station oversees runway operations and air traffic control, including the determination of operational hours for commercial flights.
The Indian Air Force has assumed control of Chandigarh airport.
