New Delhi: Amid escalating tensions in West Asia following the ongoing Iran conflict, India’s aviation regulator has directed domestic airlines to avoid flying over the airspace of several countries.
According to reports, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued th
e advisory after recent military actions in the region increased the risk to commercial flight operations.
The advisory asked airlines to avoid several airspaces in the Middle East region due to potential threats arising from the conflict dynamics.
The airlines have been asked to avoid airspaces over Iran, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
The DGCA has also instructed airlines to carry out enhanced safety risk assessments and prepare contingency plans. Airlines have been asked to plan alternate routes.
The restrictions could lead to longer flight durations, higher fuel consumption and possible schedule disruptions.