Airlines around the world, amidst the Israel-Iran conflict, adjusted their flight paths, diverted to alternative airports, or returned to departure points on Friday (Apr 19). The action followed the temporary closure of key airports in Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan and restricted airspace access in western Iran. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 confirmed the closures, which indicated that by 0445 GMT, both the airports and the airspace had reopened.
Flydubai canceled its Friday flights to Iran, with one flight returning to Dubai. An Iran Air flight en route from Rome to Tehran diverted to Ankara. Despite the airspace restrictions, some airlines, including Emirates, Flydubai, Turkish Air, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and Belavia, continued operations over parts of Iran that remained open.
The situation in Iran added to the challenges for Dubai-based carriers, already dealing with the aftermath of record rainfall in the UAE. Since Tuesday (Apr 16), about 1,478 flights from Dubai have been canceled, nearly 30% of the total.
Several international carriers had already been avoiding Iran’s airspace even before the flare-up due to ongoing regional tensions. Lufthansa suspended flights to Tehran until the end of the month, while Australia’s Qantas Airways introduced a fuel stop in Singapore for its flights from Perth to London to avoid the Middle East airspace. Taiwan’s China Airlines and EVA Air have also been adjusting their flight routes based on guidance from international aviation safety authorities. (NNT)
