Washington: The United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a no-fly zone in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman for all US air carriers and commercial operators on Friday.
“There were numerous civil aviation aircraft operating in the area at the time of the intercept,” the FFA said, adding that its prohibition would stay in place until further notice.
Air France-KLM’s Dutch subsidiary KLM is also avoiding flying over parts of Iran as a precautionary measure, a spokesman said on Friday, confirming a report by the Netherlands’ state broadcaster NOS.
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The spokesman could not provide further details. The NOS report said that the company decided to reroute flights following a decision by the FAA to stop American operators from flying over Tehran-controlled airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
British Airways also said on Friday it will adhere to guidance from the FAA to avoid parts of Iranian airspace and its flights will continue to operate using alternative routes.
“Our safety and security team are constantly liaising with authorities around the world as part of their comprehensive risk assessment into every route we operate,” a spokeswoman for IAG-owned British Airways said.
Malaysia Airlines said it was avoiding the airspace, which it had previously used on flights between Kuala Lumpur and London, Jeddah and Medina.
“The airline is closely monitoring the situation and is guided by various assessments, including security reports and notices to airmen,” it added.
Qantas said it was adjusting flight paths to avoid the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman until further notice. Singapore Airlines said some flights might require longer routings to avoid the area.
On Thursday, two other U.S. carriers, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, said they did not fly over Iran. Japanese carriers Japan Airlines Co Ltd and ANA Holdings Inc also said they did not fly over the area.
The Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf are the bodies of water separating Iran from Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Oman.
