- National airline makes changes as a precaution
- The direct flight from Perth to London will now have a stopover in Singapore
Qantas has cancelled its mega direct flight from Perth to London due to rising tensions in the Middle East.
The 17-hour flight will now stop in Singapore before taking an alternative route that avoids the risky airspace, the airline said Thursday.
“We are making adjustments to some of our flight routes due to the situation in parts of the Middle East as a precautionary measure,” a spokesman said.
‘We will contact customers directly if there are any changes to their booking.’
It is understood that return flights from London to Perth will operate direct, due to prevailing winds.
Qantas cancels its mega non-stop flight from Perth to London due to rising tensions in the Middle East
The flight from Perth to London takes a staggering 17 hours, making it the fourth longest route in the world. Pictured is Perth Airport.
The move comes as Israel braces for retaliation from Iran over the killings of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Iran supports both militant groups and has vowed revenge on Israel, although the Israeli government has only claimed responsibility for Shukr’s death.
Qantas had already suspended the Middle East route in April after Iran said it would attack Israel for killing a senior Iranian commander in Syria, a promise it kept.
The Albanian government has urged Australians in Lebanon to leave the country while they can, warning they could be trapped there indefinitely if Beirut airport is closed.
