CAA issues new air traffic directives

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) 

Karachi:

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a new directive on Saturday, according to which 15 minutes advance notice was required for flights entering Pakistani airspace.

The new notum has been issued regarding the lack of air traffic from Afghanistan to Pakistan.

According to the CAA, air traffic service will be provided to flights entering Pakistan's airspace only on prior notification.

Flights arriving in Pakistani airspace will be serviced from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad Area Control Centers.

Air traffic services to Europe and Central Asia flights will be provided through Dushanbe and Islamabad area control air links.

Due to non-availability of air traffic from Afghanistan, Islamabad and Dushanbe Flight Information Region will guide flights to provide air service.

The new notum will remain in place until the end of 2023.

According to a foreign publication, on July 25, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorized high-altitude flights over Afghanistan.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

It stated that flights at or above FL 320 (32,000 feet) were safe to pass through Afghanistan's airspace.

Most airlines around the world have been avoiding Afghan airspace since the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the Taliban's takeover of the country.

This influenced flights from Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent, to Europe and North America to take longer routes and consequently burn more fuel.

There are concerns among airlines about the safety of such operations, particularly the presence of surface-to-air weapons in Afghanistan. Although the FAA has said that such missiles pose no threat to flights above 32,000 feet, airlines prefer caution to taking any risks.

"There's no ATC [air traffic control] service in the whole country, there's a seemingly endless list of surface-to-air weapons, if you fly too low they can start shooting at you. , and if you have to turn around, good luck. The Taliban," said the OPS Group, an organization for the aviation industry

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