Air France Halts All Flights Over the Red Sea Zone

DALLAS — Air France (AF) announced on Sunday, November 3, that it has proactively suspended all flights over the Red Sea zone. The decision was made after crew members of the airline reported observing a “luminous object” during a flight over Sudan.

According to a statement issued by Agence France-Presse (AFP), AF confirmed that it had indeed decided to suspend flights over the Red Sea region "until further notice."

So far, the French flag carrier is the only airline to have implemented such a precautionary measure over the Red Sea zone. The airspace in the region has not officially been closed, but as we know, safety of flight crew and passengers defines commercial aviation operations.

The airline’s decision was influenced by the fact that the Red Sea region is considered extremely hazardous due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which commenced in 2023, and a series of Houthi rebel assaults on vessels associated with the war in Gaza between Israeli forces and Hamas.

Affected Flights, Destinations

Some of AF’s flights had their routes altered, while a few were forced to turn back to their departure airports. Flights AF 473 (Mauritius-Paris), AF 648 (Paris-La Réunion), and AF 470 (Paris-Mauritius) were rerouted, resulting in longer flight times.

However, flights AF 934 (Paris-Antananarivo) and AF 814 (Paris-Nairobi) had to be canceled, with the aircraft returning to Paris. The airline informed passengers that they will depart again when conditions allow it. AF operates flights to several destinations in the Middle East, including:

• Abu Dhabi: AF launched daily flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) in October 2023, using an Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
• Beirut: AF offers flights from various U.S. cities to Beirut, Lebanon.
• Cairo: This Egyptian capital is one of the Middle Eastern destinations served by AF from Paris CDG.
• Dubai: Another major Middle Eastern city on AF's route network from Paris CDG.
• Tel Aviv: AF operates flights to Israeli capital from Paris CDG.

The  French carrier planned to operate up to 49 weekly flights combined on these five Paris CDG-Middle East routes during the winter season with a mix of wide-body aircraft for these longer routes, including the Airbus A350-900 and potentially other types like the Boeing 777-300ER or Airbus A330-200, depending on the specific route and demand.

Air France's halt of operations is the latest in a litany of flight suspensions to the Middle East, as the industry continues to monitors the geopolitical situation in the region to ensure the highest levels of safety for its flights.