Originally Posted by https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/airlines-iran-flight-path-1.5418717

Airlines around the world move to avoid the region after crash kills a reported 176 passengers

The Associated Press · Posted: Jan 08, 2020 9:21 AM ET | Last Updated: an hour ago

Commercial airlines on Wednesday rerouted flights crossing the Middle East to avoid possible danger amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.

A Ukrainian passenger jet crashed on Wednesday, just hours after Iran's ballistic missile attack, but Iranian officials said they suspected a mechanical issue brought down the 3½-year-old Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Ukrainian officials initially agreed, but later backed away and declined to offer a cause while the investigation is ongoing. All 176 passengers and crew aboard, including 63 Canadians, are believed to be dead.

Airlines around the world were quick to reroute flight paths to get their jets away from the area until it becomes clear what exactly happened. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has forbidden American commercial carriers from flying over Iran, Iraq or the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

The agency warned of the "potential for miscalculation or mis-identification" for civilian aircraft amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Such restrictions are often precautionary in nature to prevent civilian aircraft from being confused for ones engaged in armed conflict.

Air Canada is the only Canadian carrier with flights in the region, and Transport Canada confirmed on Tuesday evening that the airline had altered some of its routes to adhere to the FAA directive.

That includes at least one flight from Toronto to Dubai that will now go through Egypt and Saudi Arabia to avoid Iraqi and Iranian airspace.

Changed flight plans were expected to inconvenience as many as 15,000 passengers per day, lengthen flight times by an average of 30 to 90 minutes and severely bruise the aviation industry's bottom line, analysts said...