MUMBAI- Amid swiftly escalating tensions, several prominent airlines have opted to cancel flights to Iran and impose restrictions on the utilization of Israeli and Iranian airspace.
Air India (AI) and Qantas (QF) have initiated rerouting procedures to circumvent Iranian airspace, while Lufthansa (LH) has further suspended its flights to and from Tehran.
Air India, Lufthansa Cancels or Alters Flights
Data from flight tracking systems reveals that an Air India flight bound for London deviated from its usual course on Saturday, opting for a notably longer route to avoid Iranian airspace.
As per reports from NDTV, this alteration may add up to 45 minutes to the flight duration for European destinations. However, flights to the Middle East remain unaffected, given their positioning south of Iranian airspace.
Air India had previously resumed flights to Tel Aviv in early March following a hiatus of nearly five months during the Gaza conflict.
Meanwhile, Lufthansa, the German carrier, has extended its existing suspension of flights to and from Tehran, which has been in effect since April 6th. Additionally, the airline has announced that flights to and from Amman will operate as “day flights,” allowing crews to return to Frankfurt without necessitating an overnight stay in the Jordanian capital.
The carrier and its subsidiary, Austrian Airlines, have announced the cessation of flights over Iranian airspace. Austrian Airlines attributed this decision to “the current situation in the Middle East” in an official statement. Iran primarily relies on Turkish and Middle Eastern airlines for connectivity, with Lufthansa and its subsidiary being the sole Western carriers serving Tehran.
“In light of the ongoing situation, Lufthansa has opted to suspend its flights to and from Tehran until Thursday, April 18th. Furthermore, the airline has discontinued using Iranian airspace,” stated a spokesperson for the company on Friday.
Qantas Halts Direct Flights
Qantas Airways has also temporarily adjusted its flight routes to avoid Middle Eastern airspace. The QF9 flight from Perth to London will now include a fuel stop in Singapore for the next few days as the company monitors the situation.
Further, a Qantas spokesperson confirmed that the QF10 return flight from London (as well as other routes departing from London) remains unaffected.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has similarly decided to avoid flying over Israel and Iran. A spokesperson from the Dutch arm of Air France-KLM, cited by the press agency ANP, mentioned that the carrier will continue operating flights to Tel Aviv on Israel’s Mediterranean coast.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News.