NEW DELHI: Air India and AI Express flights will not be routed over Iranian airspace in view of the tensions in the region. The re-routed flights of AI between India and the west will accordingly see their flying times increase by up to 40 minutes.India had on Wednesday morning “advised” its airlines to avoid overflying the airspace of Iran, Iraq and the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman , after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) barred its carriers from doing so following Iran’s missile attacks on bases housing American troops in Iraq.AI spokesman Dhananjay Kumar said: "The safety of our passengers and crew members comes first. In light of the tensions within the Iranian airspace a decision to temporarily reroute flights of Air India (AI) and Air India Express (AIX) overflying Iran has been taken. This may lead to increase in flying time by approximately 20 minutes for flights from Delhi and 30 to 40 minutes for flights from Mumbai. The situation is being closely monitored."AI has the maximum flights between India and the west -- right up to the US.An IndiGo spokesperson said: "IndiGo does not operate any flights over Iranian and Iraqi airspace, hence we do not expect our flights to the Middle-East or Turkey to be impacted. The routes to Gulf operate through Oman, Saudi Arabia and Persian Gulf, while the routes to Turkey fly over the northern routes over the Caspian sea and head directly from there to Istanbul. Currently, our flights are operating as per normal schedule. We are monitoring the situation closely and in case of a contingency, there might be slight time changes in our operations, which will be proactively communicated to our passengers."International airlines have also started avoiding Iranian airspace.A Singapore Airlines spokesperson said: “In view of the latest developments in the region, all SIA flights in and out of Europe will not be flying over the Iranian airspace. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”Air France too has suspended flying through Iran and Iraq airspace until further notice. "As a precautionary measure and following news of air strikes underway, Air France has decided to suspend until further notice all flights through Iranian and Iraqi airspace. Air France is constantly monitoring the geopolitical situation of the territories served and overflown by the company's aircraft. Flight plans are adjusted in real time according to the decisions of the French and regional authorities, throughout the world, in order to ensure the highest level of flight safety.," an Air France spokesman said.KLM said: "Until further notice, KLM will not make use of Iranian or Iraqi airspace. Flights to a number of Southeast Asian destinations and destinations in the Middle East will be operated by using alternative routes. KLM will continue to monitor the region, and will stay in contact with authorities."British Airways spokesperson said: "We are in constant contact with our partners around the world to assess the security of our routes, and will always take action where appropriate. We would never operate a flight unless it was safe to do so."A senior official of India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA ) said, “held meetings with concerned airlines to sensitise them for remaining vigilant and taking all precautions, including avoiding” those areas. However, the official added "no formal instruction (have been issued) as yet."This will mean longer travel time for flights that overly these regions. Some flights were enroute when FAA the notice to airmen (NOTAM) to avoid Iran, Iraq and the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman was issued.Flight tracking sites showed a Mumbai-London commercial flight among the enroute flights that had to divert after the FAA issued the airspace ban “due to heightened military activities and increased political tensions in the Middle East, which present an inadvertent risk to US civil aviation operations.”Tehran targeted bases housing US troops in Iraq with a series of ballistic missiles in the early hours of Wednesday (local time Iraq).Responses have been sought from airlines on which all of their flights will be impacted and the extra flying time due to the diversion to avoid those areas.Civil aviation authorities issue these advisories or bans as precautionary move to avoid passenger jets getting inadvertently targeted in conflict zones.Read this story in Bengali.