TEHRAN – Azerbaijan’s low-cost airline Buta Airways and its Dubai-based counterpart Flydubai have announced they will continue flights to and from Iran despite the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the region.

Buta Airways will operate flights to Tehran despite the coronavirus threat, Azer News quoted press service of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) as saying on Tuesday.

“Low-cost airline Buta Airways is operating daily flights on the Baku-Tehran-Baku route and plans to continue flights under the current schedule,” AZAL President Jahangir Asgarov said.

Heydar Aliyev International Airport and other airports of Azerbaijan will not impose any restrictions on flights operated by Iran Air, he said.

“Azerbaijan's Ministry of Health has strengthened the sanitary-quarantine control on arrivals from Iran. Additional measures will be taken in this direction”.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for flydubai told Arabian Business: “Flydubai flights to Iran are currently operating according to schedule. We are following the directives issued by the relevant authorities with regards to screening and onward travel around the region. We continue to monitor the situation.”

Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Armenia closed land borders with Iran on Sunday. Iraqi and Kuwaiti authorities have both banned travel to and from the country, amid growing regional concerns about the spread of the virus.

AFM/MG