Singapore Airlines has resumed overflights of Iranian overflights in a bid to shave some time off ultra-long-haul flights between its home hub and destinations across Europe and North America.
The airline confirmed that it resumed overflights of Iran on June 27, three months after avoiding the country following a major escalation in the conflict between Iran and Israel.
Singapore Airlines stopped using Iranian airspace on April 13, just hours before Iran launched its first-ever direct drone and missile attack on Israel. Although the two countries were able to avoid further conflict, many airlines flying in the region continue to avoid Iranian airspace.
The decision to reroute flights through Iran should give Singapore Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary Scoot a small competitive advantage against European rivals who continue to avoid Iran.
For example, Singapore Airlines flights from London Heathrow to Singapore are now taking around 12 to 12 and a half hours, whereas flights operated by British Airways and Qantas on the same route are taking up to 13 hours to reach Singapore.
British Airways and Qantas continue to avoid Iranian airspace, with planes veering away from Iran as they fly over Azerbaijan and then skirting the border of Iran as they make use of Turkmenistan’s airspace.
Along with the London Heathrow route, the decision to use Iranian airspace is expected to shorten flight times to destinations such as Amsterdam and Frankfurt, as well as New York, Manchester and Paris.
A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines said the decision to start using Iranian airspace again was made only after a thorough review of the security situation.
I thought US FAA banned flights through Iranian Air space on any flights carrying US citizens