Yemeni operations prompt international airlines to avoid Saudi airspace

RIYADH, Oct. 24 (YPA) –  The Wall Street Journal reported that several international airlines had changed their flight routes following warnings about the safety of Saudi airspace after Yemeni military operations targeted Saudi airports.

The newspaper cited international aviation security group OPSGROUP as warning that Saudi airspace was unsafe at all altitudes, prompting airlines to reassess their routes and reduce flights through the kingdom.

The report said the Yemeni operations had prompted airlines to reconsider their use of Saudi airspace, with some carriers rerouting flights through Central Asia and other areas, including routes near Damascus.

British Airways has begun rerouting more flights between Mumbai and London through Central Asia to avoid Saudi airspace, according to the newspaper. The airline had continued using the airspace despite repeated Iranian strikes, but recent Yemeni operations prompted changes to some routes.

Air India has also adjusted its Europe-bound flights, shifting routes away from central Saudi Arabia toward the kingdom’s northern border and areas around Damascus.

@E.Y.M