الثغرة في السماء.. كيف يهدد التصعيد في الشرق الأوسط قطاع الطيران العالمي؟

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has issued a new warning about the increasing risks facing the global aviation sector, cautioning against the escalation of international conflicts, particularly the worsening tensions in the Middle East, which have led to a wide reduction in flight routes and heightened threat levels to civil aircraft.

The agency released a conflict zone information bulletin, extending its validity until April 10, calling on European and international airlines to avoid flying in the airspace of several countries in the region at all altitudes and flight levels.

The warning included the airspace of: Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia (in the FIR Jeddah area), with limited exceptions in southern parts of Saudi Arabia and Oman at very high altitudes (FL320 and above).

The European agency stated that the region has become susceptible to high risks including: the risk of lateral missile and drone flows, air defense systems capable of operating at all altitudes, ballistic and cruise missiles, and the potential for incidents of misidentification, miscalculation, or failure of military interception procedures.

The escalation has resulted in the widespread closure or restriction of the airspace of Gulf and Middle Eastern countries, forcing airlines to reroute their long-haul flights between Europe and Asia through narrower and longer alternative air corridors, particularly via the Caucasus (Georgia and Azerbaijan) to the north, or through Egypt and western Saudi Arabia and Oman to the south, leading to an increase in flight times by two to five hours, rising fuel costs, and increased congestion on alternative routes.

The situation has also impacted major airports such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, which have experienced temporary suspensions or reductions in operations, resulting in the cancellation or delay of thousands of flights, and rising ticket prices on affected routes.

The European agency warned that the continuation of military activity and regional tensions increases the risks of "misidentification" of civil aircraft, especially with the proliferation of advanced air defense systems and aerial assets capable of operating at all altitudes, emphasizing that it, in cooperation with the European Commission and member states, is continuously monitoring the situation to assess any changes in the threat level.