- By Vivek Raj
- Sat, 13 Apr 2024 04:55 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Air India and several Western airlines operating flights to India have opted to reroute their flights, avoiding overflying Iran due to escalating tensions in the region. This decision has resulted in longer flight times between India and the West by approximately an hour. US President Joe Biden's recent statement suggesting a potential Iranian attack on Israel has heightened concerns regarding the situation.
Air India's Delhi-Tel Aviv flight, for example, operated on Saturday with a modified route, bypassing Iranian airspace. The airline is closely monitoring the situation and will make real-time decisions regarding the continuation of its four times weekly flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv, as reported by Times of India.
On Saturday, Air India Flight 161, departing from Delhi, avoided Iranian airspace, opting for an alternative route to London. Instead of the conventional India-Pakistan-Iran-Turkey-Black Sea route, the flight chose a northern trajectory.
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(Air India flight AIC161 altered the route from Delhi to London. Image Source: Flightradar24)
This northern route remains feasible for Air India due to continued overflight permissions from Russia. However, flights to the Middle East are unaffected as they typically fly south of Iranian airspace.
Lufthansa, another major carrier, has also adjusted its flight paths, with its Mumbai-bound flight on Friday taking a route via Greece, the Mediterranean Sea, Saudi Arabia, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea, as opposed to the previous Black Sea-Iran-Pakistan route. Additionally, Lufthansa has announced the suspension of its flights to and from Tehran until April 18 due to the current situation.
The recent escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel intensified following an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, resulting in casualties. Intelligence assessments suggest the possibility of Iranian retaliation, which could potentially escalate into a full-scale regional conflict. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had earlier this week warned that Israel "must be punished and will be punished"