SYDNEY: Australian airline Qantas said on Saturday (Apr 13) it would redirect its long-haul flights between Perth and London to avoid Iran’s airspace amid soaring Middle East tensions.
A Qantas spokesperson told AFP the airline would temporarily adjust the flight paths due to “the situation in parts of the Middle East”.
“We’ll reach out to customers directly if there’s any change to their booking,” the spokesperson said.
The Perth-London flights, which are usually nonstop 17-and-a-half-hour journeys, will now stop in Singapore to refuel, allowing them to carry full loads of passengers on an alternate route.
The return services – London to Perth – will continue to fly non-stop on a readjusted path due to prevailing winds.
All other flights are not affected.
Qantas joins other airlines including Lufthansa and its subsidiary Austrian Airlines in redirecting flights to avoid Iranian airspace.
The move comes after Iran blamed arch-foe Israel for a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals, and threatened reprisals.
Israel has stepped up strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria since the war in the Gaza Strip began last October.
Source: CNA
