“Contingency routes, which are kept available to ensure operational continuity during such eventualities, are being used,” said a Vistara spokesperson
AMN
Amidst rising tensions in West Asia, Air India and Vistara have decided to avoid the use of Iranian airspace, which is expected to impact flights to Frankfurt, New York and Newark, and may result in higher airfares.
Air India and Vistara flights to Frankfurt on Saturday bypassed Iran and flew over Tajikistan resulting in a flight duration of eight hours instead of the usual 7 hours and 30 minutes.
All Air India flights bound for Europe could now take upto 45 minutes longer to reach the destination, sources said.
Air India flights to the Middle East, however, will not be impacted as they fly South of Iranian airspace.
The Israeli military said it had not issued fresh instructions to civilians, but that its forces were on high alert and prepared for a range of scenarios.
Countries including India, France and Russia have warned their citizens against travel to the region, already on edge over the war in Gaza, now in its seventh month.
Since Iran viewed the embassy strike as equivalent to an attack on its own territory, sources say, a direct attack on Israeli soil by Iran itself rather than a proxy such as Hezbollah in Lebanon was a real possibility.