Are planes flying over Caspian Sea at risk of being hit by missiles aimed at Syria?

To fly or not to fly over the Caspian Sea?

It seems that airlines can't agree whether the missiles launched at Syria from Russian warships in the Caspian Sea pose a risk to flights in the area.

Cathay Pacific rerouted its flights after air agencies issued warnings last week.

But Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines and Turkish Airlines have stuck to its flight plans, reported South China Morning Post.

Sources: South China Morning Post, European Aviation Safety Group | Infographic by Marie Lim

Singapore Airlines also continues to fly over the Caspian Sea.

It said in a statement last week: "Due to the situation in the Caspian Sea region, we had earlier re-routed some flights to and from Europe to avoid the affected Caspian Sea area. We have since resumed normal routings."

A Lufthansa spokesman said it was safe to fly because the missiles and jets were "operating on very different altitudes".

The safety bulletin from the European Aviation Safety Group (EASG) said the missiles were "crossing the airspace above Caspian Sea, Iran and Iraq, below flight routes which are used by commercial transport aeroplanes". But it did not recommend airlines to find alternative routes.

*Note: Altitude differences not to scale | Infographic by Marie Lim

Airlines have been more cautious about flying over conflict zones since a surface-to-air missile brought down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 last year in Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

Various European air agencies have placed restrictions on its carriers, restricting it from flying over countries such as Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Sources: South China Morning Post, The Straits Times, The Telegraph