Singapore Air, Qantas avoid flights over Iran after attacks

Singapore Airlines Ltd. and Qantas Airways Ltd. were among carriers that diverted flights to skip Iranian airspace as hostilities in the Persian Gulf sparked by the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general ignited fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.

“In view of the latest developments in the region, all SIA flights in and out of Europe are diverted from the Iranian airspace,” Singapore Airlines said in an emailed statement. “We are monitoring the situation closely and will make the appropriate adjustments to our routes if necessary.” The carrier didn’t elaborate.

A Boeing Co. jet flown by Ukraine International Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran Wednesday morning, killing all on board. Local officials said initial assessments suggest the incident was caused by a technical issue.

Boeing 737 Bound for Ukraine Crashes in Iran; No Survivors

Earlier in the day, Iran fired rockets at two U.S.-Iraqi airbases, the Pentagon said, in response to the killing of General Qassem Soleimani by American forces last week. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the barrage, which the U.S. said was launched from Iran and targeted the Ayn al-Asad base in western Iraq and another facility in Erbil. It wasn’t immediately clear whether there were casualties or major damage from the attacks.

Qantas said it will change its services to avoid flying over Iraq and Iran. Its Perth-London flight is the only one that will be affected, with about 40 to 50 minutes added to the journey. Malaysia Airlines and Vietnam Airlines also said their flights will be adjusted.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has barred civilian services over Iraq, Iran, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, the agency said in an emailed statement. The effect of the restrictions wasn’t immediately clear because it had already prohibited U.S. carriers from flying over most of those areas.