Nine Middle East airspaces flagged as high risk
Amid escalating tensions in West Asia due to the ongoing Israel–Iran conflict, India’s aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an advisory asking airlines to avoid several airspaces in the region and ensure robust contingency planning for flight operations.
In the advisory issued on Friday, the DGCA directed airlines to refrain from flying through the airspaces of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
About the nine airspaces, the DGCA asked airlines to “refrain from operating within the affected airspace…at all flight levels and altitudes”. Any continued operations would be at the discretion of the operator based on their safety risk assessment, it added.
Conditional operations over Oman and Saudi Arabia
The regulator said Indian airlines could continue to operate flights through the airspaces of Oman and Saudi Arabia, but subject to certain restrictions.
Airlines have been directed not to operate below FL 320, or 32,000 feet, within specific parts of these airspaces south of designated reporting points.
Airlines told to prepare contingency plans
The DGCA also asked airlines operating flights to airports in the affected region to conduct thorough safety risk assessments and prepare contingency plans.
“Operations to airports in the affected region, where other international carriers are currently operating, must involve robust contingency planning to cover all eventualities, as part of the safety risk assessments by the operators,” the regulator said.
Advisory valid until March 28
According to the DGCA, the advisory came into effect immediately and will remain valid until March 28 unless revised based on developments.
Airlines have also been instructed to ensure that flight crews receive updates regarding the latest Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) alerts and airspace restrictions affecting flights that are already airborne.
Rising risks for civil aviation
The aviation regulator warned that the current situation poses significant hazards to civilian flight operations.
“Recent military strikes conducted by the United States and Israel against targets within Iranian territory have led to a high-risk environment for civil aviation. In response to these strikes, Iran has announced retaliatory measures,” the DGCA said, adding that the situation presents critical safety risks for civil flights.
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