Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
Etihad suspends operations over Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman
UAE national airline Etihad Airways has announced that it is suspending operations through Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. This comes after Etihad's close consultations with the UAE civil aviation body.
UAE national airline Etihad Airways has announced that it is suspending operations through Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
In a statement, the Abu Dhabi carrier said: "Following the decision yesterday of the US Federal Aviation Administration to restrict US airline operations in Iranian-controlled airspace, Etihad Airways consulted closely with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and other UAE airlines to evaluate the US action."
"Etihad Airways has subsequently suspended operations through Iranian airspace over the Straits of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, and will use alternative flight paths on a number of routes to and from Abu Dhabi until further notice," it added.
The airline said that these changes will cause delays on some departures from Abu Dhabi, "due to increased congestion in available airspace, and will increase journey times on some routes."
The safety of our passengers and staff is the highest priority for Etihad Airways assured, adding that it is "continually engaging with regulatory authorities and conducting our own risk assessments to ensure that our standards are not compromised."
Updates on affected flights will be provided on the Etihad Airways website, the statement added.-TradeArabia News Service