By Admin 
Commercial flights were banned in Iran’s airspace for about 5 hours yesterday (January 14) night. The reason for this was not given, but it is believed to be related to the increasing tension between America and Iran and the ongoing large protests in Iran. Due to this ban, airlines all over the world had to change the routes of flights, due to which there was a lot of wastage of time and fuel.
What is the current situation in Iran’s airspace?
Iran had banned commercial flights last night. Only a few international flights were allowed to pass. Although the airspace has now opened, flights like Flydubai, Turkish Airlines, IndiGo and Air India are being canceled or rerouted. Germany has advised its airlines not to fly into Iran airspace. America already prevents its commercial flights from flying over Iran.
Why is Iran’s airspace so important?
- Iran is located in the Middle East and lies on the main East-West air route from Europe to Asia.
- This is the most direct route, which saves both time and fuel for flights.
- If airlines do not fly over Iran, they have to go north via the Caspian Sea or south via Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
- Due to this, the flight takes several hours and the cost of fuel increases a lot.
- This may also increase ticket prices and lead to schedule delays or cancellations.
Airlines alert after 2020 mistake
Iran’s airspace is very special for the world’s aviation, but due to security fears and the incident of 2020, airlines are cautious. On January 8, 2020, Iranian air defense fired two surface-to-air missiles minutes after takeoff from Tehran airport. These missiles hit Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 (Boeing 737-800), killing all 176 people (passengers and crew).
Iran initially denied it for several days and called it Western propaganda, but later admitted that it was ‘human error’. The plane was considered an enemy target. America-Iran tension was very high at that time. Due to this accident, fear over Iran’s airspace increased across the world and many countries advised to avoid flights from there.
How much has the demonstration increased in Iran?
Major protests are continuing in Iran that started in December 2025. According to NGO reports, more than 3,400 people have been killed. America has warned of military action against Iran. US President Donald Trump said that ‘the killing has stopped and there will be no executions, but we will see more process.’ Trump told the protesters that ‘help is on the way.’ The American USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is moving from the South China Sea towards the Middle East, which has further increased the tension. It has been advised to evacuate some personnel at the American base in Qatar.