Airlines are avoiding Iranian and Lebanese airspace and cancelling flights to Israel and Lebanon, as concerns grow over a possible war in the region after the killing of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah this week.
Singapore Airlines stopped flying through Iranian airspace early on Friday morning and is using alternative routes, saying safety is its top priority, it told Reuters in a statement.
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.
In a bulletin, OpsGroup, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information, advised traffic between Asia and Europe to avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace, a day after sources told Reuters that top Iranian officials will meet the representatives of Iran's regional allies from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen to discuss potential retaliation against Israel.
Many airlines, including US and European airlines, already avoid flying over Iran, especially since the reciprocal missile and drone attacks in April between Israel and Iran.
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.
The decisions came after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in Iran's capital city, Tehran, where he attended the swearing-in of Iran's new president on Tuesday. Hamas and Iran blame Israel for the terror. Jerusalem remained silent regarding the incident.
