The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Thursday updated its flight recommendations in response “to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine” and asked air operators to avoid areas of the airspace of Ukraine, Russia, Moldova and Belarus for “high risk”.
The agency cited the Lviv, Kiev, Dnipropetrovsk, Simferopol and Odessa Flight Information Regions (FIRs) in Ukraine, Chisinau in Moldova, and Moscow FIR areas near the Ukrainian border.
In addition, the recommendation extends to the Rostov (Russia) FIR in the southern part along the border with Ukraine and the Minsk FIR in Belarus.
“Operators must not act within the mentioned airspace, including landings and departures from airports located in the affected airspace.”, according to EASA, which is based in the German town of Cologne.
The European agency also recommends that air operators “exercise caution when operating throughout the Moscow and Rostov Flight Information Region due to increased military activity, which may include launches of medium-range missiles penetrating controlled airspace.”
The EASA warns that, in the current circumstances “airspace and critical infrastructure (…) including airports, are exposed to military activities that create security risks for civil aircraft. In particular, there is a risk of both intentional targeting and misidentification of civil aircraft.”
“The presence and potential use of a wide range of ground and air warfare systems poses a high risk to civil flights operating at all altitudes and flight levels.”, specifies the agency.
The EASA statement recalls that “the situation remains fluid and subject to rapid change. EASA will monitor developments regarding this case and adjust recommendations accordingly.”, he adds.
Source: Gestion
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