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Airlines forced to take longer detours as tensions rise in West Asia
Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, and Wizz Air are among more than 150 carriers globally that are now being pushed into a narrow air corridor as conflict between Israel and Iran enters its sixth day, the Financial Times reported.
The conflict in West Asia has added to the troubles faced by the aviation industry, which is already facing challenges after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with Air India crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 241 people on board.
Flights operated by European airlines were suspended or forced to take costly detours after airspace over Israel, Iraq, and Jordan was closed last weekend. This came after Israel launched 'Operation Rising Lion', targeting Tehran's nuclear sites and killing some of the prominent leaders, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' chief Hossein Salami.
The report, citing analysts, asserted that the disruption is problematic for European airlines, which are already avoiding Russian airspace on flights to Asia, on account of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Avoiding Russian airspace has proved costly for airlines, European airlines in particular, many of which either scaled back or suspended their flights to East Asia.
While many European airlines were accustomed to dealing with periodic airspace closures, the current situation was 'more serious' because airlines now had a 'really small corridor' in which to fly, the report said. European carriers, including Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, which have already rerouted or cancelled dozens of flights, have now decided not to fly over northern Saudi Arabia due to safety concerns.
Airlines have been forced to adapt to newer routes more often in the last few years, owing to the military conflicts happening in several parts of the world. Several airlines have paused and resumed services to Tel Aviv in Israel and other destinations in West Asia multiple times since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
According to data from Flightradar24, there have been more than 3,000 flight cancellations in West Asia since the Israel-Iran conflict began on June 13. The data also showed airspace broadly clear over Iran, Iraq, and Syria, with flights instead going on reroutes across Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Taking detours results in increased fuel costs, extends flight times, and disrupts the airlines' schedules, which in turn leads to higher operational charges. Qatar Airways and Emirates, the two airlines that operated over 100 flights in a day using Iranian and Iraqi airspace, have been the worst hit by cancellations.
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