British Airways (BA) suspended flights over Iraq on Friday as the US launched air strikes against Islamic militants fighting in the north of the country.
A spokesman for Britain's flagship carrier said it was "temporarily suspending our flights over Iraq".
But BA said services that use the route, mainly to Doha and Dubai, would not be cancelled or disrupted because alternative routes would be found.
Willie Walsh, chief executive of BA parent group International Airlines Group, last week pledged to keep flying over Iraq despite mounting concerns over commercial flight paths in the wake of the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine.
The airline said then it did not believe the conflict in Iraq between government forces and jihadist group Islamic State (IS) posed the same threat to commercial airliners.
But it took its decision to suspend flights after the Federal Aviation Administration banned all US civilian flights over Iraq on Friday, just hours after Washington ordered air strikes on fighters in Kurdistan.
The FAA cited "the potentially hazardous situation created by the armed conflict" between IS militants and Iraqi security forces "and their allies" as the reason for the indefinite ban.
GMT 19:00 2018 Friday ,14 December
Air Berlin’s administrator sues Etihad for up to €2 billionGMT 12:51 2018 Tuesday ,27 November
Road accidents in Egypt down by 24.2% in first half of 2018GMT 15:01 2018 Monday ,26 November
Koreas to launch joint railway inspectionGMT 07:11 2018 Thursday ,15 November
Flights temporarily suspended at Kuwait Airport due to low visibilityGMT 10:27 2018 Sunday ,11 November
Egypt's tourism minister discuss boosting ties with Thomas Cook Group CEOGMT 10:19 2018 Sunday ,28 October
Harry and Meghan receive traditional Maori welcome in New ZealandGMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 October
KSA participates in UNGA international migration sessionGMT 12:37 2018 Tuesday ,16 October
Foreign ministry rejects requests for passport use in LibyaMaintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor