The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a special NOTAM (NOtice To AirMen) warning pilots that flights are not permitted in the overwater area of the Tehran FIR (Flight Information Region) until further notice, due to “heightened military activities and increased political tensions“.
On 19 June at approximately 11:35 (UTC), a U.S. Navy drone was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile system while operating in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz. While Iranian reports that the aircraft was over Iran, the United States are talking about an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset in international airspace.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is following the advice of the FAA and also avoids overflying parts of Iranian airspace “as a precautionary measure“, a spokesman said on Friday.
British Airways, Qantas and Singapore Airlines also avoid the area: the memory of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 shot down over the war zone of Eastern Ukraine remains vivid.
Some of the flights rerouting to avoid the area of Iranian airspace over the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, where the FAA has prohibited US airlines to operate. Other carriers often follow FAA guidance as well. https://t.co/fIFUQlxBtf pic.twitter.com/WokkvxJzGz
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) 21 juin 2019