BERLIN: The situation in the Middle East is having a significant impact on air traffic in Germany, with more than 450 flights cancelled at the eight largest airports in Germany up to March 5, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
The German Airports Association (ADV) announced on Monday that flights to Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Doha, Dubai, Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Tel Aviv are among those affected.
Around 135,000 passengers are currently unable to travel as planned.
Israel and the United States (US) launched air and missile attacks on targets in Iran on Saturday morning. Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and targets in the Gulf region.
As a result of the escalation, many travellers are stranded in the Middle East. According to the German Travel Association, around 30,000 customers of German tour operators are currently affected.
“The current developments in the Middle East clearly show how sensitive and vulnerable global traffic flows are to geopolitical crises,” said ADV Managing Director Ralph Beisel.
Short-term airspace closures and flight cancellations pose considerable operational challenges for airlines, airports and authorities.
Safety was the top priority, and decisions were made in close coordination with national and international authorities.
At the same time, the airports are endeavouring to keep the impact on passengers as low as possible and to reliably organise processes on site.
The association recommended that affected travellers should regularly check their airlines’ websites for the current flight status, and also follow the travel and safety advice issued by the German Foreign Office. -BERNAMA-dpa
