Spokesman Krzysztof Moczulski told state broadcaster Polish Radio that the airline made the decision following Iran’s recent missile attack on Israel, which involved the launch of 180 rockets without prior warning to civilian aircraft on Tuesday.
As part of the changes, LOT's Thursday flight from Warsaw to Mumbai was redirected to Baku, Azerbaijan, for refueling to avoid Iranian airspace. According to Moczulski, the airline has adjusted the routes primarily for flights to India, with aircraft now flying over Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and the Black Sea before reaching Poland.
Additionally, since mid-August, LOT has also avoided Israeli and Lebanese airspace due to ongoing regional tensions.
Emergency landings in Istanbul and Budapest
On Tuesday evening, at least 20 planes made emergency landings in Istanbul after several Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, Jordan, Iran, and Israel, closed their airspace in response to Iran’s missile attack on Israel, according to the Turkish news portal Duvar.
In addition to Istanbul, several flights bound for the Middle East from cities like Dublin, Düsseldorf, and Prague diverted to Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport as a precaution, taking refuge in Hungary after being rerouted over Turkey.
(jh)
Source: IAR