Home » AIRLINE NEWS » Iran Direct Strike On Israel Sparks Major Flight Disruptions Across The Middle East
Saturday, August 31, 2024
Iran direct strike on Israel has triggered widespread flight disruptions across the Middle East, forcing airlines to reroute and extend travel times.
Iran’s unprecedented direct strike on Israel from its territory over the weekend has led to significant disruptions in one of the world’s busiest air traffic corridors, compelling airlines to take lengthy detours from European cities such as London and Paris to destinations in the Persian Gulf and India.
In response to Iran’s launch of drones and missiles, several Middle Eastern nations, including Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon, temporarily closed their airspace over the weekend. Both Israel and Iran implemented air traffic restrictions, forcing airlines to reroute flights, which increased flight times and fuel costs.
As of Monday, European airlines have taken various measures, with EasyJet Plc suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, while British Airways Plc has continued operations to Israel and Jordan. However, disruptions occurred over the weekend, including a British Airways flight to Jordan that was forced to return due to the airspace closures.
Several other carriers, such as Qantas Airways Ltd., Singapore Airlines Ltd., Air France, and Deutsche Lufthansa AG, have either rerouted flights around the affected region or suspended services to destinations like Israel and Jordan.
Qatar Airways and Emirates began resuming certain Middle Eastern routes on Sunday following the reopening of airspace.
Iran’s airspace serves as a crucial route for airlines traveling between Europe and destinations in India or Southeast Asia. Airspace throughout the Middle East is fraught with hazards and complexities, particularly as airlines continue to navigate restrictions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to ongoing extended flight paths.
Earlier phases of Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza also led to numerous flight disruptions, primarily affecting Tel Aviv, with several flights canceled or rerouted.
Israel temporarily closed its airspace to both domestic and international flights on Saturday, reopening it on Sunday morning. Lebanon and Iraq also resumed flights over their territories.
These recent flight diversions occur amid tensions following a suspected Israeli attack on Iran’s embassy in Syria on April 1, resulting in the death of a senior military official. In a related incident, Iran announced on Saturday that it had seized a vessel linked to Israel near the Strait of Hormuz.
In response to escalating tensions, Lufthansa Group suspended flights to several Middle Eastern destinations, though it announced on Sunday that flights to Tel Aviv, Erbil in Iraq, and Amman would resume on Tuesday, while flights to Beirut and Tehran would remain suspended until at least April 18.
Qantas temporarily adjusted its direct Perth-London route to include a stopover in Singapore to accommodate the additional fuel needed for detours around the volatile area.
Singapore Airlines reported that its flights were avoiding Iranian airspace, while Cathay Pacific Ltd. stated it was monitoring the Middle Eastern situation closely but that its flight operations were proceeding as usual.
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