SriLankan Airlines has reportedly chosen a new route to access its European destinations due to the closure of Middle Eastern airspace. Accordingly, SriLankan flights are scheduled to enter Europe via Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.
The Middle Eastern airspace has been largely closed due to the US-Israeli attack on Iran and Iran’s attacks on countries in the Gulf region.
Director General and CEO of Civil Aviation, Captain Daminda Rambukwella, told the Daily Mirror that the flight time to London has increased by one and a half hours due to the change in routes.
Commenting on the financial loss suffered by Sri Lankan Airlines due to this situation, he said that it could be huge, but the exact amount has not yet been estimated.