The Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry announced on Wednesday that it has directed Egyptian airlines to avoid Iranian airspace for a three-hour period on Thursday. This decision follows a notification from Tehran regarding planned military exercises.
This advisory comes amid rising regional tensions after a Hamas leader was assassinated in Tehran last week.
Egypt explained that the warning is part of a broader notice issued by Iran to all commercial airlines.
The restriction on Iranian airspace will be in effect from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, with a similar advisory also issued for three hours earlier on Wednesday, according to the Egyptian ministry.
Additionally, Britain has advised its airlines to avoid Lebanese airspace due to growing concerns about a potential broader conflict in the region. Britain’s advisory to avoid Lebanon’s airspace came just hours after Egypt issued its directive for Iranian airspace.
Many airlines around the world are adjusting their schedules to avoid Iranian and Lebanese airspace, with some also canceling flights to Israel and Lebanon.
The issue of flights through conflict zones became a major safety concern for the industry after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine a decade ago, resulting in the deaths of all 298 people on board.
In related developments, U.S.-based United Airlines announced on Wednesday that its flights to Tel Aviv, which were paused on July 31 due to security concerns, remain suspended. “We continue to closely monitor the situation and will prioritize the safety of our customers and crews as we determine when to resume service,” the airline stated.
Delta Air Lines, a rival to United, has also paused its flights between New York and Tel Aviv until August 31.
British airlines are not currently flying to Lebanon, according to the flight tracking website Flightradar24.
Singapore Airlines stopped flying through Iranian airspace last Friday and is using alternative routes, citing safety as its top priority.
Similarly, Egyptian airlines have already been avoiding Iran’s airspace. The new directive applies to all Egyptian carriers, including charter operators and smaller airlines, according to Mark Zee, founder of OPSGROUP, a membership-based organization that shares flight-risk information.
Egypt’s NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), a safety notice provided to pilots, stated that the directive will be in effect from 0100 to 0400 GMT on Thursday.
“All Egyptian carriers shall avoid overflying Tehran’s Flight Information Region. No flight plan will be accepted overflying such territory,” the notice stated, referring to the specified three-hour period.
The Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry later confirmed on Wednesday that the notice was intended to reduce flight safety risks in response to a notification received from Iranian authorities.
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