Korean Air Lines avoiding Afghanistan airspace as Kabul falls

Korean Air Lines, Korea's biggest carrier, said Monday it will consider rerouting flights to avoid Afghanistan's airspace following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul.

Korean Air said some of its cargo flights have used the Afghan airspace at high altitudes, though its passenger flights have not.

"We are closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and may change our routes if necessary," a company spokeswoman said over the phone.

The move is in line with major airlines' plans to reroute flights to avoid Afghanistan's airspace after the Taliban advanced to Kabul as U.S.-led forces departed.

In July, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration imposed new flight restrictions over Afghanistan for U.S. airlines, according to media reports.

Countries such as Canada, Britain, Germany and France reportedly advised their airlines to maintain an altitude of at least 25,000 feet over Afghanistan.

Yonhap