National carrier aeroplane Air India will not be able to operate flights in Afghanistan due to the closure of Afghan airspace in Kabul airport.
A notice to airmen (NOTAM) was sent to inform airmen about the closure of Afghan airspace. “The airspace is closed. How any airline can operate? As of now, we are not able to operate our 12:30 pm flight to Kabul,” a source in Air India told NDTV.
The 12:30 pm flight from Delhi to Kabul was initially scheduled to fly at 8:30 pm on Sunday.
Air India’s AI 126 Chicago-Delhi flight was diverted to Gulf airspace, ANI reported. Air India is also working on new routes for flights that will depart later from India to the US, sources told NDTV.
“There will be no commercial flights from Hamid Karzai Airport to prevent looting and plundering. Please do not rush to the airport,” the Kabul airport authority said, news agency AFP reported.
Civilians and diplomats flocked to Kabul airport on Sunday to leave Afghanistan due to the shift in the political climate in the country. US troops were flown into Kabul to manage the chaotic situation in the airport.
Taliban on Sunday took control of Afghanistan as President Ashraf Ghani left the country to avoid bloodshed. Countries across the world have sent flights for emergency evacuation of embassy officials, international as well as Afghan citizens.
