Air India flights avoid Persian Gulf airspace sue to intensifying hostilities in Middle-East
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON Air India said on Sunday that all its flights are presently avoiding certain airspaces over the Persian Gulf after intensifying hostilities in the Middle East.
“Amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region, Air India group confirms that our flights currently do not operate over the airspaces of Iran, Iraq and Israel,” the Air India spokesperson said.
The adjustment in route may lead to extended flight durations for services to destinations including the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, besides some flights to/from Europe and North America, an Air India spokesperson said in a statement.
The airline said as a proactive measure it will be progressively avoiding the use of certain airspace over the Persian Gulf in the coming days, opting instead for alternative paths for flights to destinations including the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait.
“This adjustment may lead to extended flight durations for these services, as well as for select flights to/from Europe and North America. Air India is in continuous consultation with our external security advisors and is vigilantly monitoring the evolving situation, ready to implement additional measures, if required, to uphold the safety and integrity of our operations,” the statement said.
“We will keep our passengers informed of any updates. The safety and security of our passengers, staff, and aircraft remain our number one priority,” the Air India spokesperson further added in the statement.
The conflict between Israel and Iran entered tenth day on Sunday, with the US now joining in support of Israel.
