Lufthansa has suspended all flights to and from Tehran until March 29, a spokesperson for the German airline group told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Monday, January 19.
The decision follows an earlier announcement that the group would avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice. The spokesperson clarified, however, that Lufthansa aircraft will now use a designated corridor within Iraqi airspace as of today.
Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, has also halted services to Tehran, with the suspension expected to remain in place at least until February 16.
On Friday, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) advised airlines to avoid Iranian airspace due to U.S. threats of a potential military strike against Iran.
The Military Option
U.S. President Donald Trump has not ruled out military action following his warnings to Iran, issued against the backdrop of a harsh crackdown on mass protests that began in late December. According to a report by The New York Times, several Arab states, as well as Israel, urged Washington not to proceed with such a move.
Meanwhile, Fox News, citing sources within the Trump administration, reported that at least one U.S. aircraft carrier—believed to be the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group—is en route from the South China Sea to the region and is expected to arrive within about a week.
