No it wasn't a normal route or considered safe :America's aviation authority had forbidden planes flying over that route. I don't know whether or not airplanes from other countries have since been banned .

It seems absolutely crazy that passengers have to spend hours going through airport check-ins , are not allowed to carry liquids aboard a flight and generally get snooped on by organizations like the NSA and GCHQ . At the same time airlines are allowed fly passengers over a war zone where these same state agencies claim armed terrorist militias operate who have the resources and mentalities to bring down airplanes.