Major airlines avoid Afghan airspace amid evacuations

KABUL • Major airlines are rerouting flights to avoid Afghanistan airspace after insurgents took control of the presidential pa-lace in Kabul as US-led forces departed and Western countries scrambled yesterday to evacuate their citizens.

Mr Alan Foo, senior director (safety regulation group) of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said: "The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is closely monitoring developments. All Singapore Airlines and Scoot flights are currently not traversing Afghanistan's airspace."

United Airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic said they were not using the country's airspace. A United spokesman said the change affects several of the airline's US-to-India flights. Flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 showed few commercial flights over Afghanistan at 0300 GMT yesterday, but many planes overflying neighbouring Pakistan and Iran.

Airlines and governments have paid more attention to the risks of flying over conflict zones in recent years after two deadly incidents involving surface-to-air missiles.

A Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014, killing all 298 people on board, and an Ukraine International Airlines jet was downed by Iran's military last year, killing all 176 passengers and crew.

The US Federal Aviation Administration last month imposed new flight restrictions over Afghanistan for US airlines and other US operators. The FAA said flights operating below 7,900m were prohibited in the Kabul Flight Information Region, which largely covers Afghanistan, unless operating in and out of Hamid Karzai International Airport, citing the risk "posed by extremist/militant activity".

Other countries, including Canada, Britain, Germany and France, had also advised airlines to maintain an altitude of at least 7,600m over Afghanistan, according to website Safe Airspace, which tracks such warnings.

Korean Air Lines said some of its cargo flights were using Afghanistan airspace, though its passenger flights were not.

Commercial flights have also been affected by the chaos on the ground.

REUTERS