The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is warning U.S. air carriers and other commercial operators to “exercise extreme caution” when flying near the Russia-Ukraine border because of “potential safety-of-flight risks associated with escalating regional tensions.”
In two notices to airmen (NOTAMs) issued Saturday (April 17), the FAA said the extra caution is necessary because of “the potential risk to civil aviation of misidentification, misperception or miscalculation, particularly in the event of potential hostilities.”
Several other national aviation authorities have taken similar action.
Armed conflict in the same area seven years ago led to the July 17, 2014, downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a Boeing 777 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. All 298 passengers and crew were killed. The Dutch Transportation Safety Board, which investigated the crash, concluded that the 777 was caused by the detonation of a warhead fi…
