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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
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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.
The month-old Iran war is reshaping airspace across the Middle East and increasing disruption to flights, including clogging routes between Asia and Europe that previously transited or flew over the region.
On top of the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict and fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan, that has forced airlines into ever tighter corridors, notably over Azerbaijan and central Asia.
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“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.
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