Air India has said that it will temporarily suspend flights to Tel Aviv amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. An official informed about the same saying that the flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv will not operate for now. There are four weekly flights operated by Air India between the Israeli city and the nation’s capital.
On March 3, the carrier controlled by the Tata Group resumed service to Tel Aviv following a pause of over five months. The airlines suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv, starting October 7, 2023, in the wake of the Hamas attack on the Israeli city.
Iran and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria, and Iraq launched more than 200 projectiles at Israel on Saturday night, including dozens of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
Air India, Vistara Announces Avoiding Iranian Air Space
India’s two major airlines – Air India and Vistara, have announced the avoidance of Iranian airspace and are taking longer flight paths for their Europe and US operations to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
Both airlines have opted to avoid Iranian airspace following the Indian government’s advisory urging citizens to steer clear of travel to Iran. As a result, they are now taking longer routes to ensure passenger safety and operational stability.
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In the statement, Vistara Airlines said, “Due to the current situation affecting parts of the Middle East, we are making changes to the flight-paths of some of our flights. Contingency routes, which are kept available to ensure operational continuity during such eventualities, are being used instead.”
Vistara Airlines has acknowledged that it will be taking longer routes as a precautionary measure, resulting in increased travel time to reach destinations.
“This may result in longer flight times on certain routes and associated delays. The situation is being monitored closely and further changes will be made if required,” a Vistara spokesperson said.
(With inputs from agency)