Airlines like Air India, Qantas, and Lufthansa are getting worried about the Iran-Israel conflict getting worse. Some, like Air India, say they won’t fly over Iran until things calm down.
Air India even stopped flying to Tel Aviv for now. They usually fly four times a week between India and Israel.
Pilots, air traffic controllers, and route planners are busy dealing with GPS signal problems caused by jamming and spoofing in the region. One pilot said Iran and Turkey often have GPS issues.
To avoid Iranian airspace, flights from west to south Asia are taking longer routes, adding fuel stops. Flights to and from India are doing the same.
For example, Swiss Air’s nonstop flights between Zurich and Delhi now stop in Vienna for fuel.
Air India had to divert a flight from San Francisco to Mumbai to Dubai for refueling. They say airspace usually closes at night because attacks happen more than. Nearby countries like Kuwait and Jordan also close airspace when there’s a threat.
European airlines say flights to southern Indian cities are fine, but those to Delhi and Mumbai might have issues.
During Afghan airspace closures, Air India used the Hindukush route to fly directly between Delhi, Mumbai, and North America via Russian airspace. But newer Boeing 777 planes from Delta and Etihad can’t use this route due to missing oxygen tanks.
