AviationPassengers warned of cancellations as airlines scramble to reroute flights.

Middle East conflict plays havoc with flights

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Airlines are rerouting their planes to avoid flying over Israel.
Airlines are rerouting their planes to avoid flying over Israel. Photo Credit: FlightRadar24

Flights from Asia to Europe are being disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East.

Airlines are avoiding the airspaces of Iran, Iraq and Israel, in some cases cancelling flights altogether or making refuelling stops to cope with the longer flight times involved.

Israel’s airspace has been shut to all flights following Iran’s more than 200 drone attacks on Tel Aviv. Jordan has also blocked incoming, departing and transit aircraft from travelling through its airspace.

Singapore Airlines and subsidiary Scoot have stopped flying over Iranian airspace, after Iran launched its direct attack on Israeli territory on Saturday (April 13).

Malaysia Airlines will be rerouting flights between Kuala Lumpur and London to avoid Iranian airspace amid fears of further attacks on Israel.

Qantas has paused its non-stop flights from Perth to London in an attempt to avoid Iranian airspace, instead making a stop in Singapore.

SWISS will avoid Iranian airspace for the time bring. The reroutings are currently adding up to 90 minutes to the flying times of SWISS services between

Zurich and Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Delhi and Mumbai.

Lufthansa and its subsidiary Austrian Airlines are also redirecting flights to avoid Iranian airspace, while Air India has suspended its four weekly flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv.

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