The reopening of Iranian airspace, after a nearly five-hour closure, has not been sufficient to convince major European airlines to resume their usual routes over Iran and Iraq. Far from returning to normal, commercial air traffic continues to avoid both countries, reflecting the extent to which managing geopolitical risk has become a structural factor in long-haul flight planning.
According to data from FlightRadar24, airlines such as Wizz Air, Lufthansa, and British Airways continued on Thursday to divert their flights over Afghanistan and Central Asia, a choice that prioritizes operational safety over additional costs in fuel, flight time, and fleet utilization.
A Brief Closure, But with Lasting Consequences
Iran closed its airspace for nearly five hours on Wednesday, amid growing concerns over a potential military escalation between the United States and Iran. Although the reopening was relatively swift, the impact was immediate: cancellations, diversions, and delays for multiple international carriers.
The sector’s reaction was cautious. Even after the reopening, airlines like Singapore Airlines and TUI chose to maintain alternative routes, aware that regional volatility had not disappeared.
The message from specialists was clear. Eric Schouten, security intelligence director at aviation advisory firm Dyami, explicitly recommended avoiding flights transiting the zone for at least seven days, after which the situation would be reassessed. Furthermore, he stressed the need for continuous monitoring, given the likelihood of sudden closures and new operational disruptions.
Europe Reinforces Official Warnings
The caution is not limited to airlines. The German government itself issued a new directive on Wednesday warning the country’s companies to avoid Iranian airspace. The recommendation came shortly after Lufthansa adjusted its Middle East operations amid rising tensions.
→ Lufthansa Turns 100: A Century of History
Operational Impact: More Stopovers, Higher Costs
The practical consequences are already visible. Wizz Air confirmed that by avoiding the airspace of Iraq and Iran, some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi now require technical stops for refueling and crew changes at airports such as Larnaca (Cyprus) or Thessaloniki (Greece).
For its part, the IAG group reported that all British Airways flights to Bahrain were canceled through January 16 inclusive, a measure reflecting the level of caution adopted by the holding company.
Airline Decisions, Case by Case
The pattern repeats, albeit with nuances:
- KLM stated that it avoids Iranian airspace as a precautionary measure, although it clarified that this is a route it already used very limitedly. The temporary closure had no impact on its operations.
- Finnair suspended the use of Iraqi airspace and now flies to Doha and Dubai via Saudi Arabia, which implies a slight increase in flight times. The airline already previously avoided the airspace of Iran, Syria, and Israel for security reasons.
- Ryanair has shifted routes away from the Middle East in recent months, while Air France has been systematically avoiding Iranian airspace for years.
A Trend That Transcends the Current Conflict
What happened this week is not an isolated incident. In the last two years, many Western airlines have structurally reconfigured their routes in the Middle East, even increasing overflights of Afghanistan, despite Taliban control, to bypass zones considered more unstable from a military or political standpoint.
This reality presents a strategic dilemma for the industry: how to balance safety, efficiency, and economic sustainability in an environment where the risk map changes faster than fleet planning cycles.
With information from Reuters
Related Topics
United and American Ramp Up Their Strategic Standoff in Chicago: Battle to Dominate O’Hare Airport
Aerolíneas Argentinas Deploys Special Operation to the U.S. for Soccer World Cup
Cracked Component in Fatal UPS MD-11 Accident Was Flagged by Boeing in 2011
United Airlines Redefines Meal Service in Economy Class: Customers Can Preorder Before Their Flight
Plataforma Informativa de Aviación Comercial con 13 años de trayectoria.