A flight to nowhere! Qantas Airways flight, airborne for 15 hours, returns to origin airport – courtesy Middle East airspace closure
Imagine a 15 hour flight that leads you – nowhere! That’s the plight of passengers on a recent Qantas Airways flight, which flew for 15 hours, only to return to its place of origin. Travellers on a Qantas Airways Ltd. flight to Paris experienced an unusual situation when their aircraft returned to Australia after spending over 15 hours airborne. The diversion occurred due to Iranian missile strikes that resulted in extensive airspace closures across the Middle East region.According to a Bloomberg report, the Boeing Co. 787 aircraft commenced its scheduled 17-hour journey from Perth at 7.35 p.m. local time on Monday. However, on reaching the south-western borders of Indian airspace, the airline received notification about the missile attack. This development necessitated the aircraft’s return to Perth, where it touched down safely at approximately 11 a.m. on Tuesday.The Perth-London Heathrow service operated by Qantas was similarly impacted, necessitating a diversion to Singapore, according to the airline’s official statement.Qantas Airways arranged overnight accommodation for travellers on both services. These route changes have implications for subsequent flights returning from London and Paris, with Qantas actively exploring solutions for impacted customers.The carrier confirmed its commitment to continuously assess available airspace and implement various flight routes for European services, taking into consideration both weather conditions and security circumstances.Qantas’s direct services to Europe departing from Perth regularly traverse the Middle East airspace, and occasionally have needed to take extended diversions to avoid restricted zones or make refuelling stops in Singapore.The US military intervention in Israel’s conflict with Iran has led to widespread travel chaos globally this week, with flights still being cancelled on Tuesday, despite President Donald Trump’s announcement of an active ceasefire.After Trump authorised unprecedented strikes on three Iranian military and nuclear facilities during the weekend, Iran retaliated on Monday with a restricted missile offensive targeting American forces stationed at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base. Qatar swiftly denounced the assault, having shut its airspace merely hours before the incident.According to an AP report, regional airports and aviation routes have remained tense since June 13, when Israel initiated the lethal conflict through unexpected attacks on Iran, which subsequently countered with missile and drone operations. In the aftermath of the US military action, an increasing number of airlines suspended their services, particularly in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, situated directly across the Persian Gulf from Iran.Following the ceasefire declaration between Israel and Iran, certain disruptions showed signs of improvement. However, the stability of the agreement came into question on Tuesday when Trump pointed out violations by both nations. Several airlines opted to suspend specific routes until mid-week due to safety considerations.The aviation sector in the Middle East experienced significant impact, with numerous carriers facing substantial cancellations and delays throughout the week.
