NEW DELHI: Flying time between India and the west – Europe and the Americas – will increase by up to 40 minutes with several airlines deciding to avoid overflying the Iranian airspace to steer clear of the US-Iran conflict zone in West Asia. The increase will be about 20 minutes for flights to and from Delhi and almost double for Mumbai.
Airlines have not yet indicated if the increased flying time, that means higher operational expenses on fuel burn and other factors like crew, will lead to a fare hike. “Let us see how long it continues. If it remains for long, we will have to pass on the expense to passengers,” said an airline official.
Iran launched missile attacks on bases housing American troops in Iraq in the early hours of Wednesday (local time Iran). Immediately after that, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) barred its carriers from overflying the airspace of Iran, Iraq and the waters of Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman as there is a “potential for miscalculation or mis-identification” that could endanger safety of civilian aircraft.
