India Issues Advisory for Airlines Amid Rising Tensions in Middle East
Advisory Issued by Indian Aviation Authority
The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran in the Middle East has created a "high-risk" environment for global civil aviation. In response, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) released an emergency advisory on Friday, urging Indian airlines to completely avoid nine critical airspaces in the Gulf region.
According to the advisory, airlines are advised to steer clear of airspaces over Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, Indian airlines may operate flights over Oman and Saudi Arabia under certain conditions, as stated by the regulator. The DGCA specified that flights should not operate below FL 320 or 32,000 feet within the airspace of Saudi Arabia and Oman, which is defined by mandatory reporting points located south of specified segments.
Guidelines for Airlines
Regarding the nine airspaces, the DGCA instructed airlines to "avoid flying at all flight levels and altitudes within the affected airspace." It further noted that any ongoing operations would be at the discretion of the operators, based on their safety risk assessments.
The DGCA emphasized that operations to airports in the affected areas, where other international carriers are currently flying, must include robust emergency plans to cover all potential scenarios as part of the operators' safety risk assessments.
Validity and Implementation of the Advisory
This advisory from the DGCA is effective immediately and will remain in place until March 28, unless revised or altered due to further developments. The regulator advised operators to keep their flight crews informed about the latest NOTAMs and airspace restrictions that may affect their flights.
NOTAM stands for 'Notice to Airmen,' which provides pilots and crews with real-time updates regarding airspace and airport conditions. The DGCA noted that recent military strikes by the United States and Israel against targets within Iranian territory have contributed to a high-risk environment for civil aviation. In response to these attacks, Iran has announced countermeasures, creating serious threats to civilian flight operations.