Asian carriers, including Singapore Airlines Ltd, Eva Air Corp, and China Airlines Ltd, have temporarily suspended flights over Iranian airspace amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the three airlines are rerouting their flights north of Iran, flying over central Asian countries such as Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The airlines have not yet responded to requests for comment on this decision.
This action follows Iran’s accusation of Israel being involved in the assassination of a senior Hamas official in Tehran, which has heightened regional tensions and prompted vows of retaliation from Iran.
Singapore Airlines had recently resumed flights over Iran after a two-month hiatus, which had necessitated costly and lengthy detours. Iranian airspace is commonly used by airlines flying between Europe, India, and Southeast Asia.
OPSGROUP, an organization that provides flight risk information, reported potential disruptions to civil aviation and an elevated threat of a “sustained” attack on Israel from Iran and its allies, reminiscent of an April incident, but likely on a larger scale.
“This threat spans the Middle East, particularly affecting operations in and over Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt,” the group noted in a message released on Thursday. They advised that for transits through the Middle East, it is prudent to plan routes that do not cross Iran or Iraq.
Meanwhile, Middle Eastern airlines such as Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airways QCSC, along with Thai Airways International PCL, still appear to be operating flights over Iran, as indicated by FlightRadar24 data.