Aviation
Airlines suspend flights as Middle East tensions rise
Tuesday, 13 August 2024
Concerns over a wider conflict in the Middle East have prompted international airlines to suspend flights to the region or to avoid affected air space, reports Reuters.
Following are some of the airlines that have adjusted services to and from the region:
The Greek airline cancelled all its flights to and from Beirut, Amman and Tel Aviv until August 19.
The Algerian airline temporarily suspended flights to and from Lebanon until further notice.
Latvia's airBaltic cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 18.
The Indian flag carrier suspended scheduled flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice.
Air France extended the suspension of flights between Paris and Beirut until August 14, according to a statement on its website.
Its Dutch arm KLM cancelled all its flights to and from Tel Aviv from early in August until October 26.
Low-cost unit Transavia cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 31, 2025.
US carrier Delta Air Lines has extended a suspension of flights between New York and Tel Aviv until August 31.
UK budget airline EasyJet stopped flying to and from Tel Aviv in April and will resume flights on March 30, 2025, a spokesperson said.
Finnish airline Finnair continues to not use Iranian airspace to route its flights, it said in a statement on its website updated on August 1. This may extend flight time to and from Doha.
Italy's ITA Airways has extended the suspension of its flights to and from Tel Aviv through August 15, it wrote on its official X account.
German airline Lufthansa has extended its avoidance of Iranian and Iraqi airspace and said it would suspend flights to and from Tel Aviv, Tehran, Beirut, Amman and the Iraqi city of Erbil through August 21.
Swiss Air Lines, a part of Lufthansa Group, extended the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut until August 21, and will avoid airspace over Israel, Iran and Iraq until then.
Austrian Airlines, also a unit of Lufthansa, suspended all flights to Amman, Beirut, Erbil, Teheran and Tel Aviv up to and including Aug. 21, according to a statement on its website.
Europe's biggest budget airline Ryanair cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 23.
Singapore Airlines stopped flying over Iranian airspace and is using alternative routes.
Chicago-based airline United Airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future. It had suspended daily service between Newark, New Jersey and Tel Aviv on July 31, citing security reasons.
Spanish low-cost airline Vueling, owned by IAG, cancelled all its flights to Tel Aviv and Amman until October 26.
Britain advised UK airlines not to enter Lebanese airspace from August 8 until November 4 citing "potential risk to aviation from military activity".