<span>STORY: European airlines such as Wizz Air, Lufthansa and British Airways avoided Iraqi and Iranian airspace on Thursday, January 16.</span><span>This is according to flight tracking site FlightRadar24.</span><span>Instead, they chose routes through Afghanistan and Central Asia due to risks arising from geopolitical tensions in Iran and the Middle East.</span><span>Iran closed and then reopened its airspace about five hours later on Wednesday.</span><span>Concerns had grown about possible military action between the United States and Iran that would force airlines to cancel, reroute or postpone flights.</span><span>FlightRadar24 showed that despite the reopening of airspace, many carriers continue to use alternative routes.</span><span>Especially as experts warn that the risk of further instability still exists.</span><span>Many Western airlines have changed their routes in the Middle East in the last two years.</span><span>Some are flying more frequently through Afghanistan to avoid other turbulent conflict zones despite ongoing Taliban rule.</span><span>On Wednesday, Germany issued a directive warning the country’s airlines not to enter Iranian airspace.</span><span>Lufthansa soon changed its flight operations in the Middle East.</span>
