Dubai: Etihad Airways said it is suspending its flights to Tehran effective January 24, 2018. In a statement, the carrier said that between December 25 and January 23, its frequency between Abu Dhabi and Tehran will be reduced from five flights a week to two each week.
Etihad did not elaborate on why it is suspending the service. However, the carrier, which booked $1.87 billion in losses in 2016, is currently in the midst of a strategy review to turn around performance.
Etihad had earlier announced it would be suspending routes to and from Dallas/Fort Worth and San Francisco.
The suspension of flights to Tehran also comes just as air defences in Saudi Arabia, a key ally of the UAE, intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards Riyadh by Iran-aligned Al Houthi militia.
Etihad’s decision is unlikely to be politically-motivated, however, as Dubai-based Emirates airline confirmed on Tuesday to Gulf News that its flights to Iran are still operating as scheduled.
In its statement, Etihad said that guests with bookings for travel up to January 23 who are impacted by the schedule change will be rebooked with an alternative travel date, subject to availability. Passengers will also have the choice of a full refund. Guests with bookings from January 24 will be offered a full refund, the carrier said.
