Air France, Lufthansa reroute flights to avoid Iran, Iraq airspace

PanARMENIAN.Net - Commercial airlines on Wednesday, January 8 rerouted flights crossing the Middle East to avoid possible danger amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, The New York Times reports.

Paris-based Air France said it had suspended all flights over Iran and Iraq airspace indefinitely.

Australian carrier Qantas said it was altering its London to Perth, Australia, route to avoid Iran and Iraq airspace until further notice. The longer route meant that Qantas would have to carry fewer passengers and more fuel to remain in the air for an extra 40 to 50 minutes.

German airline Lufthansa said it had canceled its flight from Frankfurt to Tehran on Wednesday and another flight Saturday in Erbil in light of the current situation. Lufthansa subsidiary Austrian Airlines had also canceled service to Erbil.

PanARMENIAN.Net was not immediately able to obtain information from the General Department of Civil Aviation about similar plans by Armenian carriers.

The flight restrictions reflected fears that the conflict between the longtime foes could ratchet up following Iranian ballistic missile strikes Tuesday on two Iraqi bases that house U.S. troops. Those strikes were retaliation for the U.S. killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike near Baghdad last week.