European carriers are keeping their distance from Iranian and Iraqi airspace, even after official restrictions were lifted, choosing longer arcs over Central Asia instead of a straight shot across the Middle East.
Flight tracking data on Thursday showed aircraft operated by airlines such as Wizz Air, Lufthansa and British Airways threading routes over Afghanistan and neighboring regions, sidestepping areas now technically open but still seen as volatile. The cautious choreography reflects lingering concerns tied to heightened tensions involving Iran and the broader region.
Iran briefly shut its skies for several hours on Wednesday amid fears of potential military escalation, a move that triggered cancellations, diversions and delays across multiple networks. Although the airspace reopened later the same day, many airlines opted not to return immediately. Carriers including Singapore Airlines and leisure operator TUI continued to fly alternative paths, signalling that confidence has yet to be restored.
Security specialists say the hesitation is unlikely to fade quickly. Airlines have been advised to avoid transit through the region for at least a week, with warnings that sudden closures and disruptions remain a real possibility as the situation evolves.
Over the past two years, Western airlines have quietly redrawn their Middle Eastern maps. Routes over Afghanistan—once rarely used—have become more common, despite their own complexities, as carriers seek to bypass zones viewed as more unpredictable.
Governments are reinforcing that caution. Germany issued fresh guidance discouraging its airlines from entering Iranian airspace, following operational adjustments by Lufthansa as tensions intensified.
Operational knock-on effects are already visible. Some westbound flights from the Gulf now require refuelling and crew changes in southern Europe, adding time and cost to journeys. British Airways has cancelled services to Bahrain through mid-January, while KLM said it is avoiding Iranian airspace as a precaution, noting the route was seldom used even before the latest developments.
Finnair has rerouted flights to Doha and Dubai via Saudi Arabia, having already excluded Iranian, Syrian and Israeli airspace from its plans. Other airlines, including Ryanair and Air France, have either shifted routes away from the region or long maintained avoidance policies.
For now, reopening airspace has not translated into restored confidence. In Europe’s cockpits and control rooms, prudence is winning out over proximity.
