KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol) will resume its flights over Iranian and Iraqi airspace, according to statement issued on airline's website on January 23. The Dutch carrier uses a security management system to analyse risks and subsequently determine safe flight paths. Substantiated by such analyses, KLM has deemed it to be safe again to fly over Iran and Iraq.
In its press release, the airline gave further background on its return to it more usual flight paths through the tension-filled region. "This decision is also based on the information shared within the Dutch group of experts that unites all Dutch airlines, the intelligence services, the NCTV counter-terrorism unit, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management."
It also added: "The British and German governments have also issued a Notice To Airmen (NOTAM), stating that commercial airlines can once again fly safely over Iran and Iraq. Furthermore, on 16 January 2020, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a notification that it would be safe to fly above Iran at an altitude of more than 25,000 feet (7,620 metres)."
KLM had issued a media release on January 8 confirming that it would not fly through Iranian or Iraqi airspace, and indicated that a number of its Southeast Asian and Middle East destinations will be operated using alternative routes. In the Middle East, the Skyteam carrier flies to Abu Dhabi International, Bahrain International, Kuwait, Dammam, Dubai International, Muscat, and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion. In Southeast Asia KLM operates to Singapore Changi, Manila Ninoy Aquino International, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta, Kuala Lumpur International, Denpasar, and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi.
