Vietnam Airlines adjusts flight routes to avoid Iranian airspace
The current flight routes of Vietnam Airlines to Europe pass through the airspace of Iran and Iraq. The adjusted flight routes will make the flight longer and create more costs for the carrier. However, Vietnam Airlines said they would continue avoiding the affected areas in the Middle East until tensions ease.This is not the first time Vietnam Airlines adjusts flight routes due to military tension. In 2018, it also adjusted flight routes to avoid the Black Sea which was affected by the military activities in Syria. Vietnam Airlines said they had plans to ensure flight safety to deal with complicated situations in the world.
The carrier advised passengers from Europe to monitor the situation and follow the update information on the official website.
On January 8, rockets were launched from Iran against the US military base in Ein-al Asad in Iraq in revenge for the assassination of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.
The Federal Aviation Administration of the US also advised carriers to avoid airspaces of Iran, Iraq, the Persian Gulf and Oman Gulf. Over 170 passengers on a Boeing 737 of the Ukraine International Airlines were killed when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran, Iran.
The Iranian news agency, ISNA, announced that initial investigation showed that the plane crashed because of technical errors.