Dhaka, Jan. 15 -- European airlines like Wizz Air, Lufthansa, and British Airways dodged Iraqi and Iranian airspace today, January 15, according to flight tracking websites, opting instead for routes over Afghanistan and Central Asia in an effort to mitigate risks associated with the ongoing geopolitical turmoil in Iran and the Middle East.

Iran closed and then reopened its airspace after nearly five hours yesterday, January 14, amid concerns about possible military action between the US and Iran that forced airlines to cancel, reroute, or delay flights. Despite the airspace reopening, many airlines, including Singapore Airlines and TUI, continued to use alternative routes, according to Flightradar24.

In the last two years, many Western...