On January 8, 2020, a UIA plane crashed near Tehran's international airport shortly after takeoff. Among the reasons that could have caused this crash, some sources mention the likelihood of an external impact that could pose a threat to other aircrafts.
Due to the high risk posed by this possibility, SkyUp Airlines has delayed its flight departing from Sharjah (UAE) to Lviv to hold an emergency safety meeting. Experts from the SkyUp aviation safety committee analyzed the operational information, weighed the risks and, only after that, gave the aircraft a permission to take flight. As of now, Sharjah - Lviv flight has landed at Lviv airport.
This afternoon, the State Aviation Service of Ukraine has banned Ukrainian airlines from flying in the airspace of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Iraq since 00:00, January 9, 2020.
The airline has already approved a plan to fly around Iran over the territories of other countries. We adjust our flight routes to make them safer. We are now settling all the necessary formalities, such as receiving the relevant permits from the countries of overflight: Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Whatever the political circumstances, SkyUp will execute all flights so that passengers, who previously departed to Colombo (Sri Lanka) and Sharjah (UAE) by our airlines, return home.
We will be sure to inform our passengers of any changes.
SkyUp Airlines expresses its deepest condolences to our UIA colleagues, as well as to the families of the deceased crew members and passengers. This tragedy struck not only our country and the whole world, but each of us personally. We wholeheartedly share the pain of loss as our own. Our thoughts are with the relatives of the deceased, as well as with all those who are part of the large aviation community.