(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)
airlines are avoiding Iranian and Lebanese airspace and cancelling flights to Israel and Lebanon, as concerns grow over a possible conflict in the region after the killing of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah this week.
Several flights also stopped flying over Iranian airspace amid the regional tensions.
Singapore Airlines stopped flying through Iranian airspace from early Friday morning and is using alternative routes, saying safety is its top priority, it told Reuters in a statement.
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Taiwan's EVA Air and China Airlines also appeared to be avoiding Iran airspace for flights to Amsterdam on Friday which previously had flown over Iran, Flightradar24 data showed.
The airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the route changes.
Many airlines, including US and European airlines, already avoid flying over Iran, especially since the reciprocal missile and drone attacks in April between Iran and Israel.
Singapore Airlines' flight to London Heathrow early on Friday went north of Iran through Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, rather than crossing through Iran as it did the day before, Flightradar24 showed.
However, a significant number of airlines on Friday were still flying over Iran, including UAE carriers Etihad, Emirates and FlyDubai, as well as Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.
Over the past two days, Air India, Germany's Lufthansa Group, US carriers United Airlines and Delta Air, and Italy's ITA Airways said they had suspended flights to Tel Aviv.
Airlines this week have also been cancelling and delaying flights to the Lebanese capital Beirut after a strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday. Israel has blamed the attack on Lebanon-based group Hezbollah, which denied involvement.
Kuwait Airlines announced that the last flights from Beirut to Kuwait would operate on August 4.
Air France said on Saturday it and its affiliate Transavia were further extending their suspensions of flights between Paris and Beirut until at least Aug 6, amid rising regional tensions.
Air France suspended flights between Paris and Beirut last Monday, two days after a strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed 12 children and teenagers, which Israel and the United States blamed on Hezbollah.
"Given the security situation (...) the airline extends its suspension of its flights between Paris and Beirut until Aug 6 included," Air France said in a statement, adding it was monitoring the situation in Lebanon in real time.
"The resuming of service will be subject of a new assessment of the situation on the ground, " said the company, part of Air-France-KLM
Canada on Thursday issued a notice to Canadian aircraft to avoid Lebanese airspace for one month due to the risk to aviation from military activity.
Britain has for the past month advised pilots of potential risk from anti-aircraft weaponry and military activity in Lebanon's airspace.
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