EASA recommends caution for airlines flying in Middle East
Last weekend’s missile and drone attack by Iran caused the temporary closure of airspace in five Middle Eastern countries
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has recommended that airlines use caution when flying in Israeli and Iranian airspace.
The announcement follows the launch of a series of drones and missiles by Iran on Israel over the weekend of 13–14 April.
The agency noted that at the time of the bombardment, all affected airspaces (Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran) had been closed via advisories from their respective civil aviation authorities during the “relevant time period”.
Consequently, no aircraft were at risk, but some flight disruption was caused. For example, Israeli flag carrier El Al was forced to cancel 15 flights scheduled for Sunday, according to Reuters.
A risk of further flare-ups
However, EASA added that it would continue to “closely monitor the situation” for “any potential safety risks” – particularly since as of 14 April, all of the relevant aviation authority advisories had now expired, and their airspaces reopened.
The agency added that airlines should refer to and operate within the limits of its remaining guidelines for Israel and Iran.
EASA recommends exercising caution and following all available aeronautical publications in place within 100 nautical miles of Iran, Israel and “neighbouring airspace”. The agency also notes that, in Iran’s case, “there continues to be an increased potential for miscalculation and/or misidentification at present over Tehran”.
The heightened risk of conflict between Israel and Iran has the potential to compound an already difficult situation for air travel. Flights in the region were previously disrupted following the start of the Israel-Gaza war in late 2023.