Dubai: Dubai carrier flydubai, which operates multiple daily flights to destinations in Iran, including Tehran, Bandar Abbas, Esfahan, Lar, Mashhad, Shiraz and Tirana, has resumed operations.
The decision follows Iran’s lifting of a suspension on domestic and international flights from its capital early Monday.
A flydubai spokesperson told Gulf News, “flydubai flights are operating to schedule following the opening of airspaces in the region. We are in direct contact with our passengers whose travel plans have been affected.”
As of Monday, April 15, there have been no cancellations or reroutes. However, passengers will have to wait until Wednesday, April 17, to book fresh tickets to many Iranian destinations, as flights for the next two days are operating at capacity.
Economy air tickets to Tehran on Emirates are available after April 17.
Etihad Airways was planning to operate scheduled passenger and cargo services between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, Amman and Beirut starting from Monday.
Abu Dhabi-headquarted Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has also resumed normal operation following the temporary closure of a number of air spaces in the region.
The develoments came after European leaders joined the US in pushing for Israel to restrain its response to Iran’s drone and missile attack, in a bid to allay a wider military conflict.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Israel must avoid worsening the situation in the Middle East. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made similar comments while visiting China, and both his foreign minister and that of the UK will travel to Israel later this week.
The US, Europe, and Arab states are trying to convince Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that an aggressive reaction to Iran’s assault on Saturday night would harm Israel’s interests. They’re also concerned it could push up oil prices, hindering central banks’ attempts to slow inflation.
Harsh deterrent
Oil shrugged off Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel, with prices easing on speculation that the conflict would remain contained.
Israel’s currency rebounded after a bout of selling as investors bet the conflict between Iran and Israel won’t escalate further.
Some Israeli ministers have said the country needs to carry out a harsh attack to deter Iran from any repeat assault. Netanyahu hasn’t laid out what he plans to do, beyond saying Israel will respond in some way.
“We’re going to do everything we can to avoid flare-ups, and try to convince Israel that we shouldn’t respond by escalating, but rather by isolating Iran,” Macron said yesterday in an interview with France’s BFM TV and RMC radio.
On their trips to the Middle East later this week Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and the UK’s David Cameron will both visit Israel, according to the Israeli public broadcaster Kan News. “We’re very anxious to avoid escalation and to say to our friends in Israel it’s a time to think with head as well as heart,” Cameron said to Times Radio yesterday. -- inputs from Bloomberg
