Operations
Risks Weigh Upon Middle East Flight Operations
Concerns remain as latest war solutions fail
The business jet fleet in the Middle East is expected to nearly triple to 1,375 aircraft by 2020 from about 500 today. One of the more popular bizjets in the region is the three-engine Dassault Falcon 7X. (Photo: Dassault Aviation - W. Buch)
The business jet fleet in the Middle East is expected to nearly triple to 1,375 aircraft by 2020 from about 500 today. One of the more popular bizjets in the region is the three-engine Dassault Falcon 7X. (Photo: Dassault Aviation - W. Buch)

With the latest collapse of a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, flight-planning resource OpsGroup is reporting no new airspace closures or major routing changes in the region thus far as the war in Iran heats up again. It noted that most Gulf flight information regions (FIR) remain open to overflights, although most are still using tactical routes and flow management. Kuwait, it added, remains the exception as overflights through the OKAC/Kuwait FIR remain prohibited at least through August 4.

EASA, however, is advising operators to avoid the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and the Gulf of Oman at all levels, and to weigh potential risks before operating into Israel, Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. In the latter, a missile and drone attack forced the closure of four airports in the Southern part of the kingdom (OEAB, Abha; OGEN, Jizan; OENG, Najran; and OESH, Sharurah) this week.

Loading…