Qantas Flight Returns to Perth After 15-Hour Detour Over Iran Crisis

A Qantas Airways flight from Perth to Paris was forced to turn back mid-flight after an Iranian missile attack triggered widespread airspace closures across the Middle East, leading to a 15-hour journey that ended back in Australia.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner took off from Perth at 7:35 p.m. local time on Monday, June 23, for what was scheduled to be a 17-hour non-stop flight to Paris. The aircraft made it as far as the southwestern edge of Indian airspace before Qantas was alerted to the missile strike. With key air corridors closed, the airline decided to return to Perth. The jet landed safely around 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

A second Qantas flight from Perth to London Heathrow was also impacted, diverting to Singapore for safety reasons. Passengers from both flights were provided overnight accommodations.

The diversions will affect return legs from London and Paris as well, with Qantas stating that it is working through rebooking options and travel arrangements for affected passengers.

Qantas emphasized it is closely monitoring the security situation and airspace availability in the region. The airline regularly adjusts its flight paths to Europe based on weather and geopolitical conditions, sometimes adding refueling stops in Singapore to avoid restricted airspace.

The incident underscores the vulnerability of long-haul international flights to sudden geopolitical developments, particularly in regions like the Middle East where tensions can escalate rapidly.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ndtv.com