More Controversy For MAS After Diverting Flight MH004 Over War-Torn Syria
Alarms rang once again when Malaysia Airlines flight MH4 avoided Ukrainian airspace by flying over Syrian airspace, yet another war-torn country. Is this something to be worried about? We look at the facts here.
By Mei Mei Chu — 22 Jul 2014, 03:28 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
To Avoid Ukrainian Airspace, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH4 From Kuala Lumpur To London Was Rerouted To Fly Over Syrian Airspace On 20 July 2014
Malaysia Airlines re-routed a Kuala Lumpur-to-London flight over Syrian airspace yesterday after its usual route over Ukraine was closed, flight tracking data showed today.
themalaymailonline.com
Malaysia Airlines found itself facing controversy related to flight routes again on Sunday, when flight MH4 from Kuala Lumpur to London flew over Syria, an active war zone.
Airlines Have Been Avoiding The Ukrainian Airspace Ever Since MH17 Was Believed To Have Been Shot Down In Eastern Ukraine On 17 July 2014
After Malaysia Airlines’ Flight MH17 was shot down last Thursday by a ground-to-air missile in eastern Ukraine, airlines began to avoid the airspace below which the Ukrainian military has been fighting with Russian-backed rebels.
themalaymailonline.com
Four Days After The Incident, Flight Tracking Site Flightradar24 Tweeted A Photo Of MH4 Crossing Over War-Torn Syria
MALAYSIA Avoiding Ukraine, MAS plane flies over Syria instead, says Flightradar 24 JULY 21, 2014 300 23 Google +0 2 TOOLS INCREASE TEXT DECREASE TEXT RESET TEXT PRINT ARTICLE FlightRadar 24's flight tracking data shows Malaysia Airlines flight MH4 flying over Syria. — Picture by FlightRadar24 FlightRadar 24's flight tracking data shows Malaysia Airlines flight MH4 flying over Syria.
Image via imgur.comFlight tracking site Flightradar24.com showed that the flight, operated by a 494-seat Airbus A380, had entered Syrian airspace from Jordan and crossed the country in a northwesterly direction exiting over the Mediterranean Sea.
Fredrik Lindahl, chief executive officer of Flightradar24 AB, said it was relatively unusual for transcontinental flights to cross Syria. "With Iraq, you always see aircraft flying there. There is no other way to access parts of the Middle East than to use the Iraq corridor," he said. "But you don't see Syria so often. We saw no other trans-continental flight that went through Syrian airspace yesterday."
themalaysianinsider.com
Syria Has Been In A Civil War Since 2011. While It Is Unconfirmed Whether Syria Has High Altitude Missiles, The Opposition Has Reportedly Shot Down Several Government Aircraft
Syria is in the middle of a civil war in which 170,000 people have died since 2011.
themalaysianinsider.com
The Syrian opposition has reportedly shot down several government aircraft, using guns and Soviet-made heat-seeking missiles. Those cannot threaten airplanes at the cruising altitude of modern jetliners, but are a significant threat to planes landing and taking off.
Malaysia Airlines Clarified That MH4's Flight Path Was In Accordance To International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Approved Routes
This statement is to clarify the misunderstanding caused by a tweet from Flightradar24 on Malaysia Airlines’ flight MH004 from Kuala Lumpur to London that flew over Syrian airspace on 20 July 2014 at 1:20pm local time.
malaysiaairlines.comMH004’s flight plan is in accordance to International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) approved routes. As per the notice to airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, the Syrian airspace was not subject to restrictions.
malaysiaairlines.comAt all times, MH004 was in airspace approved by ICAO. Malaysia Airlines maintains that safety of its passengers and crew is of utmost priority.
malaysiaairlines.comHowever, The International Business Times Reported That The ICAO Had Noted That Flying Over Syria Can Be Extremely Dangerous
Technically, Malaysia Airlines is right: The International Civil Aviation Organization does not bar airlines from flying over Syria. However, it has noted in a document dated March 2013 that flying over Syria can be extremely dangerous.
“Incidents have recently taken place involving civil aircraft transiting the Damascus FIR,” wrote the ICAO Secretary General, Raymond Benjamin, referring to the Damascus flight information region, a subdivision of airspace that includes all of Syria. “Such incidents include situations whereby civil aircraft unexpectedly found themselves in close proximity to munitions and missile firings,” a situation that obviously would put passengers and crews at great risk.
It should be noted that the incidents mentioned by ICAO likely did not include the firing of missiles capable of reaching high altitudes, but referred to portable shoulder-fired missiles and to anti-aircraft guns.
A May 2013 Notice By The US Federal Aviation Administration Also Strongly Discourages US Operators From Flying To, From Or Over Syria
Jazeera Airways flight 267 from Beirut to Kuwait takes a circuitous route to avoid flying over Syria.
Image via ibtimes.comThe US Federal Aviation Administration, whose regulations are among the world’s strictest, “strongly discourages” US operators from flying to, from or over Syria, according to a May 2013 notice on its website.
themalaymailonline.com
A screenshot from flight tracking site Flightradar24.com taken at 2:30 p.m. ET on Monday, 9:30 p.m. in Syria, showed no civilian flights over the entire country. In fact flights were going out of their way to avoid the Syrian airspace. A Jazeera Airways flight from Beirut, Lebanon, to Kuwait, a route that would overfly Syria if taken directly, was headed out over the Mediterranean Sea, the opposite of where its destination was, in order to go south over Egypt and reach Kuwait by going over Saudi Arabia.
In a separate note, the FAA warned pilots that there had been several incidents of planes targeted at low altitude, and that there had even been a report of high-altitude risks: “A Russian air carrier transiting Syrian airspace reported missiles detonating near the aircraft while operating at approximately FL320” or 32,000 feet (9,700 meters), said the FAA, while noting that “the event has not been confirmed.”
MH4 Highlights The Challenges Airlines Face In Finding Conflict-Free Passageways Between Asia And Europe
The change in route yesterday highlights the challenge that airlines face in finding conflict-free passageways on the congested routes between Asia and Europe. Hundreds of flights routinely crossed over Ukraine before Thursday’s incident, and it is not unusual for international airlines to overfly war zones such as Syria or Afghanistan.
themalaymailonline.com
Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airlines, one of the world's largest airlines, said it was difficult to avoid flying over conflict zones on main routes between East and West. Airlines assume that when a flight plan is accepted in controlled airspace, it is safe to fly on that particular route, Clark said on Sunday.
themalaysianinsider.com
One of those who still overfly the country is Lebanon-based Middle East Airlines, which said on its Facebook page last year that it would continue to go over Syria while continuously monitoring the situation.
For Example, Emirates Airline Allows Overflying Syria In Some Cases. However, Recent Flight Maps Show Emirates Flights Avoiding Syria By Flying Over Northern Iraq, Which Is Also Another Conflict Zone.
Malaysia Airlines isn’t alone in assessing Syria overflights on a case by case basis. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Emirates Airline -- the biggest carrier in the Middle East -- decided to allow overflying Syria briefly in some cases. But a search on Flightradar24.com on Monday showed that every Emirates flight from Europe to Dubai (as well as every single flight going from Europe to the Gulf or South Asia) was hooking around Syria, to fly over Northern Iraq.
That is, to be sure, another conflict zone. But at least it’s one where no warring parties have, or are suspected of having, advanced anti-aircraft weapons.