More airlines avoid Iraqi airspace
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Oman Air has become the latest airline to announce its flights will avoid Iraqi airspace.
The carrier said flights between Europe and Beirut will now be longer as a result of the re-routing, and advised passengers to check with local Oman Air offices to see whether departure times have been affected.
“This measure was taken as part of our ongoing review of flight paths between Muscat and Europe, and follows our decisions in April not to overfly the Ukraine, and a year ago not to overfly Syria. Oman Air’s primary concern is, as is for all airlines, the safety and well-being of our customers and staff, and we aim to take a long-term view of the possible need for changes in the way we operate,” said Oman Air’s CEO Paul Gregorowitsch. “Geopolitical developments are considered alongside a range of other issues and our forward planning can result in changes some time before they become a statutory requirement.”
Meanwhile Lufthansa Group has now suspended its flights to Erbil until further notice. Its flights also continue to avoid Iraqi airspace.
Charter firms have also been working to evacuate people from the region. Air Partner organised an Embraer aircraft to evacuate 13 people to Amman, Jordan on Saturday and also carried another 39 to Istanbul.
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