Airline group avoids Middle Eastern airspace due to regional tensions, extends flight times to Gulf destinations

An airline group is avoiding airspace over three Middle Eastern countries due to escalating regional tensions, resulting in longer flight durations for services to Gulf destinations and select routes to Europe and North America. The carrier is progressively avoiding certain Persian Gulf airspace and opting for alternative flight paths. One subsidiary has cancelled some Middle East services citing lower passenger bookings and airspace congestion. The airline continues monitoring the situation with security advisors and may implement additional safety measures. International and domestic ticket bookings have reportedly declined following a recent aviation incident that resulted in significant casualties.