FAA eases flight restrictions in Afghanistan, but airlines hesitant to resume operations.
The FAA Loosens Restrictions on U.S. Commercial Aircraft Flying Over Afghanistan
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently made a significant policy change, allowing U.S. commercial aircraft to fly over Afghanistan. However, despite this new opportunity, airlines have been cautious in taking advantage of the revised regulations.
The FAA’s announcement, made last month, comes almost two years after the United States handed over control of Afghanistan to the Taliban. The agency stated that flights above 32,000 feet “may resume due to diminished risks to U.S. civil aviation operations at those altitudes.”
Concerns Over Air Travel in Afghanistan
Following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, civil aviation in Afghanistan came to a halt due to fears of anti-aircraft missiles being used against planes. Safe Airspace, a conflict zone and risk database, argues that despite the FAA’s decision, air traffic should still avoid the country. They highlight the risks of direct and indirect fire targeting airports and surface-to-air fire targeting low-altitude aircraft. Additionally, the lack of air traffic control services and the overall conflict pose extreme threats to the safety and security of aircraft and crew on the ground.
Despite these concerns, some airlines have started flying over the Wakhan Corridor, a sparsely populated panhandle between Tajikistan and Pakistan. The Associated Press reports that United Airlines, for example, operates a nonstop flight from Newark, New Jersey, to New Delhi, with a flight path that includes the Wakhan Corridor. However, if the main parts of Afghanistan were utilized instead of avoiding them, the approximately 14-hour flight could potentially be shortened.
“In accordance with current FAA rules, United operates Newark to New Delhi flights over a small section of Afghanistan where air traffic control is provided by other countries,” said United spokesman Josh Freed. “We do not plan to expand our use of Afghan airspace at this time.”
Other airlines, such as American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Air India, also fly over the Wakhan Corridor.
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