Several Flights To Middle East Cancelled, Airlines Told To Take Mitigation Measures - Loke

SEPANG, June 24 (Bernama) -- Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed that several Malaysian flights to the Middle East have been cancelled following the airstrikes on the United States military base in Qatar early today.

He said a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) had been issued following concerns over the safety of aircraft flying over the region during the airstrikes.

“The NOTAM was issued because there was a war conflict... so of course there was a risk to air travel.

“Indeed, no airline can fly through that airspace because it is closed,” he told a press conference here.

Following the development, Loke said all airlines have also been instructed to take mitigation measures to ensure flight safety and passenger wellbeing are not jeopardised.

Several Arab countries responded by temporarily closing their airspace late Monday as a precautionary measure amid heightened tensions.

However, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have since reopened their airspace and resumed normal flight operations.

A check by Bernama at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) found that flight departures to the Middle East have resumed.

As of 4 pm today, no new cancellations were reported, although some flights experienced delays, including Qatar Airways flight QR845 to Doha, initially scheduled for 8.20 pm.

Earlier, Malaysia Airlines cancelled two flights to Doha - MH164 and MH160R - believed to be due to the temporary airspace closure over the region.

-- BERNAMA