Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
Egypt instructed all of its airlines to avoid Iranian airspace for three hours in the early morning on Thursday amid tension between Israel and Iran.
The NOTAM, a safety notice provided to pilots on Wednesday, said the instruction would be in effect from 0100 to 0400 GMT. It provided no further details as to why the notice was issued.
Egypt’s civil aviation ministry later confirmed on Wednesday the notice was intended to reduce flight-safety risks in light of a notification it received from Iranian authorities.
The ministry’s press statement followed an unnamed source quoted by the state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV as saying that Iranian authorities had said to avoid flying in Iranian airspace because of “military exercises.”
Many airlines are revising their schedules to avoid Iranian and Lebanese airspace while also calling off flights to Israel and Lebanon as many fear a possible broader conflict after the killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
On Sunday, Jordanian authorities asked all airlines landing at its airports to carry 45 minutes’ worth of extra fuel.
Countries in the region, including Jordan, closed their airspace earlier this year amidst aerial attacks on Israel.
