Airlines Extend Middle East Route Diversions and Cancellations
Photo Caption: A350-1000 Virgin Atlantic Airbus
Skift Take
The new week brings a relative stabilization after a tense weekend, however many airlines are still avoiding parts of the region.
After a tense weekend in the Middle East, airlines are considering what, if any, changes need to be made to their networks and routes.
On Saturday evening, the airspace above Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran was closed or heavily restricted. As well as impacting services to the region, it also affected long-distance journeys that fly over these countries when traveling to other parts of the world.
By Monday, the situation had stabilized, and the temporary airspace bans were lifted.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said it is “closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East.” However, it emphasized that “there was no overflight risk for civil aviation at any time.”
Not Quite Business As UsualMany big-name brands were still taking a cautious approach.
On Monday, Virgin Atlantic confirmed to Skift that it has made changes to Indian routes. An additional 30-minute
