Emirates to stop flying over Iraq due to missile risk

Emirates
announced last night that it will no longer allow its planes to fly
over Iraq due to concerns about the dangers posed by Islamic militants,
also known as ISIS.

Tim Clark, chief executive of the airline, announced planes would be
re-routed along other flight paths to avoid becoming targets for
surface-to-air missiles from fighters in the troubled country. Emirates
is taking precautionary steps to prevent an MH17 repeat from occurring
through war torn areas with its planes.

The airline make up the largest number of flights that pass over
ISIS-held territory in Iraq. Presently, the airline has  more than 50
flights a day traveling in and out of UK airports.

Mr Clark’s decision came after it emerged the United States was
investigating whether ISIS rebels in Iraq had acquired weapons from
Syria which are capable to shooting down planes flying at 30,000ft or
more, similar to the technology used in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian
separatists.

Iraq sits below the main flight path between Europe and Asia and hundreds of civilian aircraft pass over it each and every day.

New routes will take planes to Europe via Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea
and Egypt. The change in routes may add up to 45 minutes to flight
times.