British Airways has joined fellow airlines in deciding to divert flights to avoid airspace within war-torn Iraq.
Willie Walsh, CEO of BA’s parent company IAG, had last week insisted that the airline would continue flying over Iraq because it was safe.
But BA has changed its policy and is now “temporarily” avoiding Iraqi airspace after the US began airstrikes on Islamic militant troops operating in Iraq on Friday. BA said it would “keep the situation under review”. The move will mainly affect BA services to Dubai and Doha.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has also banned all US airlines from flying over Iraq due to the “hazardous situation created by the armed conflict”.
European airlines including Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Lufthansa had already decided a week earlier to stop flying over Iraqi airspace.
Etihad Airways has also begun rerouting flights to avoid “conflict airspace” in Iraq following the “deterioration of the security situation in parts of the country”.
The Abu Dhabi-based carrier last week announced that it had suspended services to the northern Iraqi city of Erbil “until further notice”.
“The safety of Etihad Airways’ passengers and staff is of paramount importance, and the airline will continue to monitor the security situation closely,” said the airline in a statement.
“Flights to Basra and Baghdad, which have a daily risk assessment, continue to operate as normal.”