Lufthansa will avoid Iranian airspace completely until Wednesday.
Lufthansa is adjusting its flight schedule again due to the escalating tensions in the Middle East. The company announced that the previously imposed flight ban for connections to Tel Aviv in Israel, Tehran in Iran, and Beirut in Lebanon has been extended "until August 12th". "The group will initially not use the Iranian and Iraqi airspace until August 7th", Lufthansa explained. "For flights affected by cancellations, Lufthansa offers the possibility of free rebooking or free cancellation", the company added. Furthermore, the Lufthansa group is suspending its flights to Amman in Jordan - also until Wednesday.
Lufthansa had already suspended flights of its airlines to Tel Aviv last Thursday, initially until August 8th. On the preceding Monday, the group had announced a flight ban to Beirut following the deadly rocket attack from Lebanon on a village on the Golan Heights, which Israel has annexed, as well as other airlines.
Since then, the situation has escalated further. Iran has threatened retaliation after the Israeli strike that killed Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The USA, Israel's closest ally, has significantly strengthened its military presence in the region by sending more warships and fighter jets.
Moreover, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, which is allied with Iran, has been regularly shelling Israel since the start of the Gaza war. Last week, Israel also killed Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr. In response, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah promised a reaction, with the militia firing dozens of rockets into Israel over the weekend.
Due to the escalating tensions between Israel and its adversaries, Lufthansa decided to avoid using the Iranian and Iraqi airspace until August 7th, as mentioned in their statement. Furthermore, the extended flight ban for connections to Tel Aviv, Tehran, and Beirut continues until August 12th, affecting several flights.
