Qantas has been forced to redirect its non-stop flight route between Perth and London, to avoid flying over parts of the Middle East due to safety concerns.
The change in flight path is due to fears Tehran – Iran’s capital – is planning an imminent attack on Israel.
The flight path will change due to avoid Israel airspace.Credit: Getty
QF9, usually a 17.5-hour flight direct from Perth to London, will now fly with a stopover via Singapore to allow the airline to still carry a full load of passengers and refuel.
The return flight, QF10, from London to Perth will still be able to operate as a direct flight on an alternative path due to prevailing winds.
Neither flight will be paused, with the changes expected to last for the forseeable future.
“We’re temporarily adjusting the flight paths for our flights between Perth and London due to the situation in parts of the Middle East,” a Qantas spokesman said.
“We’ll reach out to customers directly if there’s any change to their booking.”
The company will continue to monitor the situation with a range of options available using alternative flight paths.
Qantas’ other flights to and from London, QF1 and QF2, are unaffected as they already operate through different flight paths.
Flight paths can be adjusted daily and make adjustments for a variety of reasons, including security and weather.