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Airlines avoid parts of Iran-controlled airspace after US order

Airlines avoid parts of Irancontrolled airspace after US order
Airlines avoid parts of Iran-controlled airspace after US order

2019-06-21 00:00:00 - Source: Baghdad Post

Some global airlines are re-routing flights to avoid

Iran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, they said

on Friday, after the US aviation regulator barred its carriers from the area

until further notice.

Thursday’s emergency order from the US Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA) came after Iran took down a high-altitude US drone with a

surface-to-air missile, sparking concerns about the safety threat to commercial

airlines.

The downing of the unarmed Global Hawk drone, which can fly

at up to 60,000 ft (18,300 m), was the latest in a series of incidents in the

Gulf region, a critical artery for global oil supplies, that included explosive

strikes on six oil tankers.

According to flight tracking applications, the FAA said, the

nearest civil aircraft was operating within around 45 nautical miles of the

unmanned aircraft when it was shot down.

“There were numerous civil aviation aircraft operating in

the area at the time of the intercept,” it said, adding that its prohibition

would stay in place until further notice.

Hours earlier, United Airlines suspended flights between New

Jersey’s Newark airport and the Indian financial capital of Mumbai following a

safety review.

Malaysia Airlines, Australia’s Qantas Airways Ltd, Singapore

Airlines Ltd and KLM of the Netherlands said they were re-routing flights to

avoid the area.

The FAA said it remained concerned about the escalation of

tension and military activity in close proximity to high-volume civil aircraft

routes as well as Iran’s willingness to use long-range missiles in

international airspace with little or no warning.

In July 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down by

a missile over Ukraine, killing all 298 on board, prompting carriers to take

more steps to uncover threats to their planes.

The US bar does not apply to airlines from other countries,

but OPSGROUP, which provides guidance to operators, said carriers globally

would take it into consideration.

“Since MH17, all countries rely on advice from the US, the UK,

France and Germany to highlight airspace risk,” it said. “The threat of a civil

aircraft shootdown in southern Iran is real.”

At 0640 GMT on Friday, flight tracking website Flightradar24

showed flights of Qatar Airways and Emirates in the area barred to US carriers.

The two airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside

business hours.

Etihad Airways, which was flying over the area earlier,

according to FlightRadar24, said it was monitoring the situation and had

adopted contingency plans.

“We will decide what further action is required after

carefully evaluating the FAA directive,” the Abu Dhabi-based airline said. “We

are working closely with the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation

Authority.”

United said it had suspended its flights to India through

Iran airspace after a “thorough safety and security review,” but did not say

how long the suspension would last.

A United spokesman said customers flying from Mumbai to

Newark would be booked on alternative flights back to the United States.

“We continue to explore all our options and remain in close

contact with relevant government authorities,” he added.

Netherlands flag carrier KLM was no longer flying over the

Strait of Hormuz, a spokesman said on Friday.

Malaysia Airlines said it was avoiding the airspace, which

it had previously used on flights between Kuala Lumpur and London, Jeddah and

Medina.

“The airline is closely monitoring the situation and is

guided by various assessments, including security reports and notices to

airmen,” it added.

Qantas said it was adjusting flight paths to avoid the

Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman until further notice. Singapore Airlines said

some flights might require longer routings to avoid the area.

On Thursday, two other US carriers, American Airlines and

Delta Air Lines, said they did not fly over Iran. Japanese carriers Japan

Airlines Co Ltd and ANA Holdings Inc also said they did not fly over the area.





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