Turkish carriers cancel flights to Iran, Iraq after missile strike

ANKARA

Turkish Airlines (THY) and Pegasus Airlines have canceled their flights to Iran, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon scheduled for late on April 13 and April 14 for security reasons in the wake of Iran’s retaliatory missile strike against Israel.

In their statements, the airlines noted that not only were the planned flights canceled, but also the planes en route to these four countries were diverted back to Istanbul.

Various carriers’ departures from Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport bound for Iran and Iraq joined annulments, with some aircraft redirected to airports in the country’s eastern provinces of Erzurum, Diyarbakır and Elazığ.

The airlines have not made any announcement regarding the extension of flight cancellations.

Meanwhile, Iraq reopened its airspace on April 14 hours after suspending all air traffic as neighboring Iran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel.

Jordan, which neighbors Iraq as well as Israel, and Lebanon also reopened their respective airspace having earlier closed them.

The Iraqi civil aviation authority announced in a statement "the reopening of the airspace" and resumption of flights to and from airports across the country, saying there were no longer any "security risks to civilian aircraft.”

In Jordan, Civil Aviation Commission chief Haitham Misto told the official Al Mamlaka channel: "The Jordanian airspace has been reopened and the situation has returned to normal."

Lebanon's Transport Minister Ali Hamie told AFP that "we have resumed flights since 7 a.m. (0400 GMT), and we're monitoring the situation."