Air Traffic from/to Europe – URGENT –

Air Traffic from/to Europe risks to encounter delays because of missile strike in Iraq. The FlightRadar24 screenshot at 07:00 (UTC) shows no immediate action. But the OPSGROUP distributed an urgent warning:

Following the missile strike, the US FAA has now issued “Emergency Order” Notams banning all US operators from overflying the airspace Iraq, Iran, and the overwater airspace above the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with immediate effect.

Update from 09:00 UTC: The Airlines react

The “Oil Track” is shifting to north and south out of the zone. Compare the maps from 07:00 UTC and 09:00 UTC

The “Oil Track” from 07:00 UTC

The “Oil Track” from 09:00 UTC

The affected air space is:

What about non-US airlines?

OPSGROUP wrote:

Of course, non-US operators are not bounded by the FAA Notams, but we would like to hear if you are rerouting or avoiding any airspace.

We have had two reports from members that were operating in the Tehran FIR at the time. One was enroute to OMDB and given a 180° turn to exit the airspace, by Iranian ATC. Another N-registered aircraft (USA) was given revised routing out of the Tehran FIR, destination was OMDW. They had declared minimum route fuel and were asking to continue forward, and were denied. Tehran appears to have quite literally uninvited N-reg aircraft (USA)  from their airspace.

From previous Iran warnings, OPSGROUP members say: ‘Even if the operator/pilots think they will come close or penetrate Irans Airspace they should contact Iran Air Defense on 127.8 or 135.1’. If the Iranians have an unidentified aircraft on their radar and not in contact with them they will transmit on guard with the unidentified aircraft coordinates, altitude, squawk (if there is one), direction of travel and then ask this aircraft to identify themselves as they are approaching Iranian ADIZ.

We recommend to contact your airline

If you have to fly from or to Europe, then you should immediately contact your airline. If they have to fly detours around above red zone then flights might last 1 to 2 hours longer.
Critical destinations and stop overs are also all gulf-region airports. This is especially true for flights with Qatar, Emirates, Oman Air, Etihad and other gulf-airlines. Their hub airports might not be accessible.