Middle East tensions: airlines suspend flights and avoid dangerous airspace

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 08. 20. 11:09

Due to the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, many airlines have decided to suspend their flights to the region or fly on modified routes, avoiding dangerous airspace. Wizz Air recently announced that it will avoid Iraq’s airspace, as a result of which the journey time of some flights will be extended and a technical stop will have to be installed.

Wizz Air flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi continue to operate, however, for the safety of passengers and crew, the planes fly over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, avoiding Iraqi airspace. As a result, flights to Budapest need a technical stop at Larnaka airport, where fuel is refueled and crew changes take place.

It was not only Wizz Air that changed its flight routes. Reuters gathered which airlines decided to suspend their flights:

Aegean Airlines: Canceled all flights to Beirut, Amman and Tel Aviv until August 19.
Air France-KLM: canceled flights to Tel Aviv until October 26, but resumed flights between Paris and Beirut on August 15. Its subsidiary, Transavia, suspended its flights to Tel Aviv until March 31, and its flights to Amman until November 3.
easyJet: Tel-Aviv flights suspended until March 30.
Finnair: It avoids Iranian airspace, which is why its flights to Doha have longer flight times.
ITA Airways: No flights to Tel Aviv until August 19.
LOT Polish Airlines: Suspended its flights to Israel until August 18 and its flights to Beirut until August 26.
Lufthansa Group: Avoids Iranian and Iraqi airspace and will not fly to Tel Aviv, Tehran, Beirut, Amman and Erbil until August 21.
Ryanair: canceled flights to Tel Aviv until September 3.

These measures by the airlines are a response to the uncertain situation prevailing in the region, and the aim is to guarantee the safety of passengers and crew.