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Flights Diverted as Iran Shuts Airspace
15 Jan
Summary
- Iran temporarily closed its airspace to most flights on Wednesday.
- Several airlines have rerouted or canceled flights due to the closure.
- Heightened regional tensions pose a risk to air traffic.
Iran temporarily closed its airspace to all flights except those with official permission on Wednesday evening, ET. This prohibition was scheduled to last for over two hours but could be extended, according to a notice from the Federal Aviation Administration. The closure comes amidst heightened tensions, with a senior Iranian official warning of strikes on U.S. bases if Washington attacks.
Several international airlines have been affected by Iran's sudden airspace closure. India's IndiGo reported impacts on some international flights, while a Russian Aeroflot flight bound for Tehran returned to Moscow. Germany had previously advised its airlines to avoid Iranian airspace, and Lufthansa reconfigured its Middle East flight operations due to regional tensions. The United States already prohibits its commercial flights from overflying Iran.
Major carriers like flydubai and Turkish Airlines have canceled multiple flights to Iran in recent weeks. Safe Airspace, a flight risk information website, noted that most carriers are avoiding Iranian airspace, signaling potential military activity and heightened risks to civil traffic. Lufthansa and Italian carrier ITA Airways are among those bypassing Iranian airspace and adjusting flight schedules to Tel Aviv and Amman.
