EU Aviation Safety Agency Updates Gulf Airspace Warning for Airlines
Latest EASA Advisory and Airspace Restrictions
Aug 31 (Reuters) - The European Union Aviation Safety Agency on Monday extended until September 30 its warning to airlines to avoid airspace over the waters of the Persian Gulf within Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, narrowing an earlier advisory that recommended avoiding the countries' entire airspace.
Background: Renewed Tensions in the Region
The new advisory comes hours after the U.S. and Iran resumed hostilities for the first time since late July.
Details of the Updated EASA Advisory
Persian Gulf Airspace Guidance
"While risks over the waters of the Persian Gulf remain high, operations necessary for arrivals at or departures from aerodromes within the affected Flight Information Regions may be conducted with sufficient mitigation," EASA said in its latest advisory for the Persian Gulf nations.
Additional Airspace Warnings
Gulf of Oman and Oman's Muscat FIR
It asked operators to exercise caution while operating above the land territory of these nations, adding that airlines should also not operate over Gulf of Oman waters within Oman's Muscat flight information region.
Jordanian Airspace
The agency lifted its previous recommendation that airlines avoid Jordanian airspace, but advised airlines to exercise caution through September 30.
Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon Airspace
EASA also extended its recommendations that airlines not operate in the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Lebanon until the end of September.
Exceptions for Beirut Flights
However, flights arriving at or departing from the Lebanese capital Beirut are permitted if the approach starts from the sea or the departure ends over the sea, the agency added.
(Reporting by Shubham Kalia and Bipasha Dey in Bengaluru, Editing by Louise Heavens)
