Flights get longer as airlines are forced to skirt war zones
The Middle East has long been a global crossroads for air travel, with hundreds of aircraft bisecting the region every day on long-distance journeys connecting the US, Europe and Asia. Plying those routes has become more challenging, with rising tensions forcing airlines to curtail services as a safety precaution. The war between Israel and Hamas, in a region already studded with hot zones, has added to the complications of flying between east and west. That’s after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine already added hours to many journeys by shutting down vast airspace to many transnational operators — including the Great Circle routes through Siberia, a popular gateway between the continents. Israel’s El Al has stopped flying over much of the Arabian peninsula, citing safety concerns, swinging wide at a cost of several hours on flights to Bangkok. The carrier also postponed services to India, while canceling seasonal routes to Tokyo. Most other airlines stopped flying to Tel Aviv after the outbreak of hostilities. Deutsche Lufthansa AG also quit Beirut for now, while Air France-KLM said it has seen a slight reduction in passenger demand for trips to the region. The wars also create potential issues for people traveling on carriers that still fly over contentious areas. Globally, demand for international travel has fallen by 5 percentage points since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, according to ForwardKeys, a travel analytics firm. Local conflicts in the Middle East have long made Yemen, Syria and Sudan no-fly zones for most airlines. US and UK operators avoid Iranian airspace, pushing long-distance traffic toward the west, over Iraq. While the recent outbreak hasn’t caused major delays to date on overflights through the region, the Iran and Iraq pathways each face further strains. Attacks on US and coalition forces have increased in Iraq and Syria, while Iran has warned that new fronts could open as Israel moves ahead with its ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2023-11-13/general/flights-get-longer-as-airlines-are-forced-to-skirt-war-zones
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/logo.png
Flights get longer as airlines are forced to skirt war zones
The Middle East has long been a global crossroads for air travel, with hundreds of aircraft bisecting the region every day on long-distance journeys connecting the US, Europe and Asia. Plying those routes has become more challenging, with rising tensions forcing airlines to curtail services as a safety precaution. The war between Israel and Hamas, in a region already studded with hot zones, has added to the complications of flying between east and west. That’s after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine already added hours to many journeys by shutting down vast airspace to many transnational operators — including the Great Circle routes through Siberia, a popular gateway between the continents. Israel’s El Al has stopped flying over much of the Arabian peninsula, citing safety concerns, swinging wide at a cost of several hours on flights to Bangkok. The carrier also postponed services to India, while canceling seasonal routes to Tokyo. Most other airlines stopped flying to Tel Aviv after the outbreak of hostilities. Deutsche Lufthansa AG also quit Beirut for now, while Air France-KLM said it has seen a slight reduction in passenger demand for trips to the region. The wars also create potential issues for people traveling on carriers that still fly over contentious areas. Globally, demand for international travel has fallen by 5 percentage points since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, according to ForwardKeys, a travel analytics firm. Local conflicts in the Middle East have long made Yemen, Syria and Sudan no-fly zones for most airlines. US and UK operators avoid Iranian airspace, pushing long-distance traffic toward the west, over Iraq. While the recent outbreak hasn’t caused major delays to date on overflights through the region, the Iran and Iraq pathways each face further strains. Attacks on US and coalition forces have increased in Iraq and Syria, while Iran has warned that new fronts could open as Israel moves ahead with its ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.<br/>
