Sydney:

Australian airline Qantas said on Saturday it would redirect long-haul flights between Perth and London to avoid Iranian airspace amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

A Qantas spokesman told AFP the airline would temporarily adjust flight routes due to “the situation in parts of the Middle East”.

“We will reach out to customers directly if there is any change in their booking,” the spokesperson said.

The Perth-London flight, normally a 17-and-a-half-hour non-stop journey, will now stop in Singapore to refuel, allowing it to take a full load of passengers on an alternate route.

The return service — London to Perth — will fly non-stop on a re-adjusted route due to prevailing winds.

All other flights are not affected.

Qantas joins other airlines, including Lufthansa and its subsidiary Austrian Airlines, in redirecting flights to avoid Iranian airspace.

The move comes as Iran blamed arch-enemy Israel for an attack in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals and threatened retaliation.

Since the war in the Gaza Strip began in October, Israel has stepped up attacks against Iran-linked targets in Syria.

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