British airlines warned of threat of Russian air missiles

“This safety information bulletin is issued to inform airspace users about the hazard”, the European agency said.

Russian Federation says the missile strikes are part of an operation aimed against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

The European Union’s aviation regulator issued a safety bulletin after Russian Federation last week launched a barrage of missiles from warships in the Caspian Sea towards rebel targets in Syria almost 1,000 miles away.

Airlines have been warned of the risks posed by low-flying missiles over Iran and Iraq.

The airline said it was in regular contact with the Government and security agencies to receive up-to-date safety information.

Air France began altering its routes yesterday to avoid the area.

Since Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over the Ukraine by a surface-to-air missile a year ago, the global aviation industry has been focused on providing timely information to carriers that allows them to avoid dangers from global conflicts.

Investigators will specifically look at why the flight was flying over a known war zone.

The flights, which Russian Federation previously has said aren’t provocative, have prompted European militaries to launch jet fighters to identify the aircraft.

Changing flight routes would most likely lengthen flight times meaning heavier fuel use for airlines. Although US officials reportedly told CNN that four of the missiles landed in Iran, Russia’s defense ministry denied the accusation, insisting that all of them hit their targets.

German airline Lufthansa said it had not changed flight routes based on the current available information.

BA last night said the bulletin did contain any recommendations for airlines above those already in place for the region.