New Delhi: Air India is asking the Indian government to open talks with China to allow its aircraft to fly through the airspace over Xinjiang, as rising costs and route disruptions continue to strain the airline’s finances.

The request comes after Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian carriers in April, forcing Air India to take long detours on flights to the United States, Canada and Europe. These longer routes have increased flying time by up to three hours on some journeys and sharply raised fuel expenses. According to internal estimates, the airline is facing an annual pre tax loss of about 455 million dollars because of the detour, a figure that is higher than its losses in the previous financial year.

Air India has asked for permission to use Chinese airports in Hotan, Kashgar a

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