Airlines led by Emirates Airline are pushing for sweeping improvements to arrangements under which they fly over conflict zones following the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine this month, write Andrew Parker and Simeon Kerr.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation, the UN agency that sets global aviation standards, will hold a meeting today with industry leaders to consider ways to reduce the risks associated with flying over countries embroiled in war.
But the ICAO’s initiative may be overtaken by the push by Emirates Airline to have a new body – possibly set up under the International Air Transport Association, the industry’s main representative organisation – share information between airlines about flying over conflict zones, including carriers’ own risk assessments. Other airlines are calling for reform, including Malaysia Airlines and Lufthansa, although they stopped short of endorsing Emirates’ plan.