Global conflict zones, airspace closures threaten airlines operations
Airlines are increasingly challenged by the rise of global conflict zones, as threats like missiles, drones, airspace closures, GPS spoofing, and the downing of passenger aircraft disrupt their operations.
Carriers are incurring higher costs and losing market share due to last-minute flight cancellations and expensive re-routing.
To maintain safety and reliability, the aviation sector is increasing investments in data analytics and security planning, as reported by Reuters.
“Flight planning in such an environment is highly challenging... The airline industry flourishes on predictability, and the lack of it will inevitably lead to higher costs,” stated Guy Murray, who oversees aviation security at TUI Airline, a European carrier.
With the escalating airspace closures over Russia and Ukraine, throughout the Middle East, between India and Pakistan, and in various parts of Africa, airlines are confronted with a diminishing number of viable flight routes.
“More than half of the countries typically overflown on a standard Europe-Asia flight now require thorough review before each journey, compared to five years ago,” mentioned Mark Zee, founder of OPSGROUP, an organization that provides membership-based flight risk information.
Since October 2023, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has brought commercial flights dangerously close to unexpected drone and missile strikes—some of which have been visible to both pilots and passengers. In Russia, drone activity often leads to temporary airport closures, including those in Moscow.
Simultaneously, incidents of GPS spoofing and signal jamming are on the rise in global conflict regions, hindering flight navigation.
Recent tensions between India and Pakistan resulted in reciprocal airspace restrictions last month, further limiting flight options for airlines.
“Airspace should not serve as a tool for retaliation, yet it is used as such,” expressed Nick Careen, Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), while addressing reporters during the association’s annual meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.
In December, a flight from Azerbaijan Airlines was mistakenly shot down by Russian air defenses over Kazakhstan, resulting in 38 fatalities, according to Azerbaijan’s president and Reuters sources.
Only two months prior, a cargo aircraft was downed in Sudan, leading to five deaths.
Since 2001, six commercial planes have been shot down, along with three incidents of near misses, according to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions.
In February, IATA pinpointed accidents and incidents related to conflict zones as a primary threat to aviation safety, emphasizing the urgent need for international cooperation to address the issue.
Pilots and flight attendants are increasingly worried about how the fluctuating and unpredictable risks might impact their safety.
“IATA asserts that airlines should evaluate the safety of flying over conflict zones rather than regulators. However, history indicates that commercial pressures can cloud those judgments,” remarked Paul Reuter, vice president of the European Cockpit Association, which represents pilots.
Generally, flight crews hold the right to decline a trip if they have safety concerns regarding the airspace, whether due to weather
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