Despite airspace reopening, airlines continue to avoid Iran, Iraq

European and other international airlines continued to avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace on Thursday, despite the country’s authorities reopening the skies after a brief closure on Wednesday.

Wizz Air, Lufthansa, and British Airways rerouted flights over Afghanistan and Central Asia to reduce risks from ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, according to flight tracking websites.

Iran had closed its airspace for nearly five hours on Wednesday amid fears of possible U.S.-Iran military action, causing flight cancellations, delays, and rerouting.

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Despite the reopening, carriers including Singapore Airlines and TUI maintained alternative paths, according to FlightRadar24.

Over the past two years, many Western airlines have increasingly flown over Afghanistan, despite Taliban control, to avoid other conflict zones in the region.

According to Reuters, Germany also issued guidance on Wednesday, cautioning its airlines against entering Iranian airspace, prompting Lufthansa to adjust its Middle East operations amid rising tensions.

“We avoid Iraqi and Iranian airspaces; therefore, some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports will have to make (refuelling and crew change) stops in Larnaca, Cyprus, or Thessaloniki, Greece,” a Wizz Air spokesperson said on Thursday.

Other carriers, including Ryanair and Air France, have similarly rerouted or long avoided the region to minimise exposure to ongoing instability surrounding Iran, Israel, and neighbouring countries.

(Reuters)