West Asia crisis: Airlines told to assess risks of international flights
DGCA handholding players and coordinating with MEA
Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Civil Aviation Ministry has asked airlines to carry out their risk assessment on international flight operations.
Air India, Vistara, IndiGo and various international airlines have opted for alternative flight paths to the West and are avoiding the Iranian airspace against the backdrop of tensions flaring up between Iran and Israel.
Vumlunmang Vualnam, Civil Aviation Secretary, told PTI that airlines have been asked to make their risk assessment concerning their flight operations.
The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is handholding and interacting with the airlines and also in touch with the External Affairs Ministry, he added.
The Secretary was responding to a query on whether there is an advisory by the Ministry or the DGCA to airlines amid the crisis in the Middle East.
FLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS
Air India is operating some of its international flights on alternative flight paths to and from India and Vistara has also made changes to flight path for some of its flights due to the Middle East situation.
Also, Air India has temporarily suspended its flights to Tel Aviv.
The alternative flight paths have increased the duration of some of the international flights by around half an hour.
About the Middle East crisis, Suprio Banerjee, VicePresident and Sector Head, corporate Ratings at ICRA, said commercial airlines may have to take a longer route to comply with no-fly regulations, leading to higher fuel expenses.
“This will also impact international air travel to the directly aected and potentially aected nearby geographies during the upcoming summer holiday season if the issue persists,” Banerjee said. Manan Bajoria, Group VP, Growth at travel portal ixigo, said re-routing of flights due to the current geopolitical tensions can result in longer routes and higher expenses for airlines that run flights to and from Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
“Lengthy diversions will add to airline fuel costs and may lead to an increase in airfares across these routes,” Bajoria said.
REGIONAL TENSION
Banerjee also said the ongoing geopolitical developments in the Middle East region will continue to exert pressure on crude oil prices and, in turn, on ATF prices, which have been on an elevated level compared to the pre-Covid era.
During the weekend, Iran launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel in a retaliatory attack. On Monday, Israel said it would respond to Iran’s weekend attack.