No Middle East flights from KLIA, mostly within Asia

 The majority of arrivals and takeoffs involve Vietnam, Indonesia and China.

Major airlines, including Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudia, and several Abu Dhabi-based carriers, have postponed or cancelled flights from KLIA since Saturday. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 The majority of flights departing from KLIA’s Terminal 1 today are bound for Asian countries such as Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, China and Nepal, as escalating conflict in the Middle East has led to the closure of several major airports.

As of noon, flights were headed for Ho Chi Minh City, Danang and Hanoi in Vietnam, Denpasar and Jakarta in Indonesia, and Shenzhen, Chongqing and Guangzhou in China, Bernama reported.

The arrivals dashboard also showed incoming flights from Phuket in Thailand, Lombok, Jakarta and Surabaya (Indonesia); Manila (Philippines) and Danang (Vietnam). There were no flights to and from Middle Eastern countries.

Passenger traffic appeared lighter than usual compared with a normal day, which typically sees a surge in passenger numbers towards noon.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd confirmed yesterday that 26 flights had been cancelled, involving 13 departures and 13 arrivals, on selected services to and from affected Middle Eastern destinations, as well as several long-haul routes requiring airspace adjustments.

It said the situation remained uncertain and was subject to airspace safety assessments by airlines, with the possibility of further schedule adjustments.

Passengers transiting through or travelling to the affected areas were advised to check flight status directly with their airlines before going to the airport.

Fighting has flared up in the Middle East since Saturday, after the US and Israel launched a series of attacks on targets in Iran. Iran has carried out retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli territory, as well as US military facilities.

Hundreds of flights in the Middle East have been cancelled, while airspace in the region has also been closed.

Major airlines, including Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudia, and several Abu Dhabi-based carriers, have postponed or cancelled several flights since Saturday. - FMT