Iran war, rogue drones force European aviation safety rethink
As the Middle East conflict clogs flight corridors between Asia and Europe, EASA chief warns of ‘hybrid warfare’ risks
Wars, including a widening conflict in the Middle East, are heightening risks for aviation as flight corridors are squeezed and drones become more widespread, Europe’s top aviation safety regulator has said.
“It’s clear that concentrating traffic on certain routes, the availability of the airspace for air traffic control, the fact that traffic can use routes which are not so usual, can generate safety risks,” said Florian Guillermet, executive director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
The comments are the first from Europe’s aviation regulator since the Middle East war erupted at the end of February.
Aviation is among the most disrupted industries, with pilots facing growing risks from missiles and drones. Guillermet, a sector veteran who previously ran France’s air traffic control system, said crew and controllers were trained to anticipate and mitigate risks. Even so, shutting airspace or restricting flights were sometimes unavoidable.