Proliferating conflict zones around the world are becoming an increasing burden on airline operations and profitability, and more of a safety concern. Detours add to airlines' fuel costs and lengthen journey times.
Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport was closed and Israel's air defence units stood on high alert for possible retaliatory strikes from Iran.
Wizz said it had re-routed flights affected by closed airspace in the region for the next 72 hours. Israeli airlines El Al, Israir and Arkia were moving planes out of the country.
About 1,800 flights to and from Europe had been affected so far on Friday, including approximately 650 cancelled flights, according to Eurocontrol.
Many global airlines had already halted flights to and from Tel Aviv after a missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels towards Israel on May 4 landed near the airport.
Air India, which flies over Iran on its Europe and North American flights, said several flights were being diverted or returned to their origin, including ones from New York, Vancouver, Chicago and London.
Emirates also cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran.
Eastern Iraq near its border with Iran contains one of the world's busiest air corridors, with dozens of flights crossing between Europe and the Gulf, many on routes from Asia to Europe, at any one moment.
Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia said it had instructed Russian airlines to stop using the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel and Jordan until June 26. It said flights to airports in Iran and Israel were also off limits for civil carriers.
FlightRadar data showed airspace over Iran, Iraq and Jordan was empty in the late morning in Europe on Friday, with flights directed towards Saudi Arabia and Egypt instead.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East since October 2023 led to commercial aviation sharing the skies with short-notice barrages of drones and missiles across major flight paths – some of which were reportedly close enough to be seen by pilots and passengers.
Last year, planes were shot down by weaponry in Kazakhstan and in Sudan. These incidents followed the high-profile downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 and of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 en route from Tehran in 2020.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( After Israel strikes Iran, airlines divert flights as airspace closed )
Also on site :
- ‘90s Country Star, 60, Shows off Slimmed Down Look at Intimate Show: ‘Beautiful'
- Star-Studded Tribute to Brian Wilson With Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Michael McDonald, Elton John and More Re-Airing on CBS
- Jury begins deliberations in Mike Lindell defamation trial in Denver over election conspiracies