EASA Withdraws Overflight Warnings for Iran

EghtesadOnline: European airlines can return to parts of Iranian and Iraqi airspace, the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said on Wednesday, three weeks after Iran accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet amid an exchange of hostilities with US forces in Iraq.

News ID: ۷۴۹۵۷۴

01 February 2020

Following an EU aviation security risk group meeting, EASA said it was lifting temporary recommendations against overflying the two countries, Financial Tribune reported.

"The Integrated EU Aviation Security Risk Assessment Group met on 28/01/2020 to assess the most recent information related to the safety and security of commercial air transport over Iran and Iraq," an EASA announcement reads.

“As an outcome of this meeting, the temporary recommendations issued by EASA and the EC Commission on 08/01/2020, recommending avoidance of all overflights of Iraq as a precautionary measure, and on 11/01/2020, recommending avoidance of all overflights of Iran as a precautionary measure, have been withdrawn.”

However it reiterated the earlier advice that airlines avoid Iranian airspace below 25,000 feet and stick to two air corridors over Iraq.

"On the basis of the latest information, the group reaffirmed the position stated in the current published Conflict Zone Information Bulletins (CZIB) for overflights of Iran and Iraq airspace. CZIB-2017-04R5 for Iraq advises airlines to avoid overflights of Iraq, except in two specific air corridors. CZIB-2020-01R0 for Iran advises against overflights of Iran at levels below 25,000 feet," the announcement concluded.

EASA is an agency of the European Union with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardization, in addition to performing investigation and monitoring. It collects and analyses safety data, drafts and advises on safety legislation, and coordinates with similar organizations in other parts of the world.

The idea of a European-level aviation safety authority goes back to 1996, but the agency was not legally established until 2002. It began its work in 2003.