Flights operators cancel flights to Middle East

Air India Suspends Flights to Tel Aviv Amid Middle East Tensions

Air India has suspended its flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, effective immediately and lasting until August 8, due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. This decision follows the cancellation of a scheduled flight from New Delhi to Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, citing operational reasons.

"In view of the ongoing situation in parts of the Middle East, we have suspended scheduled operations of our flights to and from Tel Aviv with immediate effect up to and including August 8, 2024," Air India stated.

The airline is closely monitoring the situation and offering support to passengers with confirmed bookings during this period. "We are extending support to our passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Tel Aviv during this period, with a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges," the statement added.

The suspension comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. The conflict has resulted in over 35,000 deaths and has had political repercussions throughout the region, affecting countries such as Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.

Tensions have further escalated after a bomb detonated in Tehran, Iran's capital, killing Hamas' political chief, Ismail Haniyeh. Iran has accused Israel of orchestrating Haniyeh's assassination, with the country's religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for a "direct" attack on Israel.

Air India emphasized that the safety of its guests and crew remains its utmost priority during these turbulent times.

Global Avoidance of Middle East Airspace has already begun

Airlines are increasingly avoiding Iranian and Lebanese airspace and canceling flights to Israel and Lebanon due to rising concerns over a potential conflict in the region. This follows the recent killings of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

Singapore Airlines has stopped flying through Iranian airspace as of early Friday morning, opting for alternative routes. The airline emphasized that safety is its top priority in a statement to Reuters.

Similarly, Taiwan's EVA Air and China Airlines appear to be avoiding Iranian airspace for flights to Amsterdam, which previously traversed Iran, according to data from Flightradar24. Both airlines have yet to respond to requests for comments regarding these route changes.

In a bulletin, OPSGROUP, a membership-based organization that shares flight risk information, advised traffic between Asia and Europe to avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace. This cautionary advice comes in the wake of reports that top Iranian officials will soon meet with representatives of Iran's regional allies from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen to discuss potential retaliation against Israel.

Many airlines, including those based in the U.S. and Europe, have already been avoiding Iranian airspace, particularly since the escalation of missile and drone exchanges between Iran and Israel in April.

For instance, Singapore Airlines' flight to London Heathrow early on Friday opted for a route north of Iran, passing through Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, instead of crossing through Iran as it had the previous day, as shown by Flightradar24 data.

Despite heightened regional tensions, many airlines continued to fly over Iran on Friday. Among these were United Arab Emirates carriers Etihad, Emirates, and FlyDubai, as well as Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

However, in response to the ongoing conflict, several major airlines have adjusted their operations. Over the past two days, Air India, Germany's Lufthansa Group, U.S. carriers United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, and Italy's ITA Airways have suspended flights to Tel Aviv.

Furthermore, airlines have been cancelling and delaying flights to the Lebanese capital Beirut following a strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday. Israel attributed the attack to Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah, which has denied any involvement.

Canada issued a notice on Thursday advising Canadian aircraft to avoid Lebanese airspace for one month due to the heightened risk to aviation from military activities in the region.

For the past month, Britain has also been advising pilots of the potential risks from anti-aircraft weaponry and military activity in Lebanon's airspace.

OpsGroup, a membership-based organization that shares flight risk information, warned that in the event of an all-out war in the Middle East, civil aviation could face significant threats. These include the risk of drones and missiles crossing airways and the increased risk of GPS spoofing. This phenomenon, growing around Lebanon and Israel, involves militaries and other actors broadcasting signals that deceive a plane's GPS system into misidentifying its location.