Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority Mandates Pre-Approval for Foreign Flights to Use Kabul Airspace
Kabul:The Civil Aviation Authority of Afghanistan (CAA) has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) requiring foreign flights to obtain prior approval before entering Kabul’s Flight Information Region (FIR). This new directive has caused several international flights to temporarily divert and fly within Pakistan’s airspace while awaiting clearance.
According to reports, most flights have been forced to circle within Pakistan’s airspace before being granted permission to enter Afghanistan’s airspace. Notably, British Airways flight BA 142 from Delhi to London had to circle for 20 minutes before being allowed to enter Kabul’s airspace.
Other flights, including Singapore to Frankfurt, Singapore to London, Singapore to Copenhagen, Taipei to Frankfurt, and Delhi to Zurich, also experienced delays as they awaited clearance to enter Afghanistan’s airspace.
As per Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority’s new rule, flights can only use the country’s airspace once they have received official clearance. This development has caused disruptions for various international airlines, which have had to adjust their flight routes accordingly.
