Safe Airspace – Conflict Zone and Risk Database

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04 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, Qatari airspace closed amid Iranian missile and drone retaliation across the Gulf.

04 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, Bahraini airspace closed amid Iranian missile and drone retaliation across the Gulf.

04 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, Kuwaiti airspace closed amid Iranian missile and drone retaliation across the Gulf.

04 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, Jordanian airspace remains open but sits between multiple closed FIRs amid ongoing regional missile and drone activity.

04 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, UAE airspace partially reopened under strict routing corridors.

04 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, Iraqi airspace closed amid missile and drone activity transiting the region.

04 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, Syrian airspace closed as part of the central Middle East corridor amid ongoing regional missile and drone activity.

04 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, Lebanese airspace remains open but sits close to active conflict zones amid ongoing regional escalation.

03 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, Iranian missiles and drones have impacted Saudi Arabia. Airspace remains open, but risk has increased due to regional escalation.

03 Mar

Risk summary updated: Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb 28, the central Middle East corridor closed and Oman became a key southern bypass route amid ongoing regional escalation.

02 Mar

Risk summary updated following closure of the OIIX/Tehran FIR amid ongoing US-Israel strikes and Iranian missile retaliation.

27 Feb

Risk summary updated: Cross border strikes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

11 Dec

Country summary updated: Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has resumed, artillery and air operations reported in several parts of the border region.

07 May

Risk summary updated: New airspace warning issued by France recommending operators not to enter a section of cross-border airspace in northern Pakistan/India below FL260.

06 May

Risk summary updated: OYSN/Sanaa Airport closed due to damage from Israeli airstrikes in Dec 2024 and May 2025.

16 May

Reports of GPS spoofing around Seoul in the north of the country, close to the border with North Korea.

11 Jan

Risk summary updated: Armed group shot down a military helicopter in the northern state of Kachin, which borders China. Also a report of GPS jamming on airway A599 that connects with Chinese airspace.

22 Nov

Risk summary updated: GPS Spoofing being encountered over the Black Sea in Turkish airspace.

07 Nov

Risk summary updated: GPS spoofing reported across the Mediterranean region.

11 Jul

Risk summary updated: North Korea is threatening to actively shoot down reconnaissance aircraft in their airspace. This may put civil aviation at higher risk of mistaken identity in or near the ZKKP/Pyongyang FIR boundary.

08 Feb

The security situation in Papua remains poor. While there are no active airspace warnings for Indonesian Papua or neighbouring Papua New Guinea, the region has a recent history of armed groups targeting either low flying aircraft or airports themselves.

04 Oct

Risk summary updated: North Korea fired a ballistic missile directly over Japan - the first to incur on Japanese airspace since 2017. Risk to aircraft from debris from missile re-entries striking aircraft overflying the oceanic part of the ZKKP/Pyongyang FIR over the Sea of Japan.

01 Jan

Just one significant update in the past 24 hours. The UAE briefly closed its entire airspace on Mar 17 as a precaution during new missile and drone threats. The shutdown lasted about two hours before reopening, but caused fresh disruption to already limited ops into OMDB/Dubai and OMDW/Al Maktoum. This comes just one day after a drone strike near OMDB hit fuel storage, caused a large fire, and forced a temporary suspension of ops with at least 65 diversions. It shows how quickly the situation can change - even FIRs that are technically open can shut with little or no warning.

Several developments over the past few days. A drone strike near OMDB/Dubai on Mar 16 caused a fire at fuel storage and briefly suspended operations with some diversions. Drones also damaged OKKK/Kuwait airport radar on Mar 14, and rockets struck near ORBI/Baghdad airport on Mar 15. In Israel, the earlier BizAv ban at LLBG/Tel Aviv appears to have eased - operators can again apply for PPR, though slots remain extremely limited. Saudi Arabia has also issued new Notams introducing contingency routings and altitude restrictions in the OEJD/Jeddah FIR, with some routes unavailable due to military activity. Main Europe-Asia bypass routings remain north via the Caucasus or south via Egypt-Saudi-Oman.

A few operational updates today as the Middle East conflict continues. OKKK/Kuwait was hit by several drones on March 12 causing damage at the airport, though no casualties were reported. In Oman, drones struck a port near OOSA/Salalah, causing a large fire and heavy smoke near the airport. There have been no incidents reported at OOMS/Muscat, which remains open and handling rerouted and evac flights while much of the region’s airspace is closed. Meanwhile Azerbaijan is directing overflying traffic in the UBBA/Baku FIR to specific boundary crossings, useful for east-west flights routing through the Caucasus to avoid Middle East airspace closures.

A few operational updates today as the Middle East conflict continues. Israel has advised that no BizAv flights will be approved at LLBG from March 11 until further notice, with only ambulance and state flights permitted. Some Opsgroup members say their LLBG permit requests have already been rejected or withdrawn. Across the Gulf, missile and drone attacks continued overnight, with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar reporting interceptions and air defence alerts in the UAE briefly causing arrivals to hold at OMDB/Dubai. Member reports today suggest the western routing via Saudi-Egypt is working fine, with normal ops reported at OERK/Riyadh, but with GPS issues near Riyadh and higher insurance premiums for the trip.

Update: overnight March 9-10 another wave of missile and drone launches from Iran targeted several Gulf states. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar all reported interceptions. In the UAE, a missile alert briefly caused arrival holding at OMDB/Dubai but no airport strikes or new airspace closures have been reported. One OPSGROUP member who recently operated into OMDW/Al Maktoum reported generally smooth ops, with GPS jamming beginning near Riyadh and a short departure delay due to military activity. The overall routing picture remains unchanged - the central Gulf corridor remains closed, with traffic routing north via the Caucasus-Afghanistan or south via Egypt-Saudi-Oman.

Update: the status of Gulf airspace remains largely unchanged. Over the weekend multiple drone and missile interceptions have continued across the region. OMDB/Dubai briefly closed on Mar 7 after a drone strike near Terminal 3, reopening later the same day. OTHH/Doha has begun a very limited reopening with some approved flights now operating. UAE airports remain operational via the OMAE corridor routing system, but capacity is tight. OOMS/Muscat issued a “scheduled flights only” Notam, though local handlers report BizAv ops continuing normally. The central Gulf corridor remains closed, with traffic routing north via the Caucasus-Afghan or south via Egypt-Saudi-Oman.

Small developments overnight, but the airspace picture remains largely unchanged. Airlines have started operating more limited flights from UAE airports using the restricted corridor system. Oman has issued a Notam confirming the routes to be used through the OOMM/Muscat FIR for traffic to and from UAE airports. Missile and drone activity continued across the Gulf overnight, including interceptions near Doha and in the UAE, with no confirmed impacts on civil airports. Ops at LLBG/Tel Aviv were briefly disrupted when an El Al repatriation flight had to go around during missile sirens. Otherwise the central block of Middle East airspace remains closed with the same routing options as yesterday. If you've operated in the region this week, please get in touch if you have any info to share.

Iranian drones crossed the Iran-Azerbaijan border early on March 5 and one struck the terminal building at UBBN/Nakhchivan airport. Damage appears limited to the terminal area with no confirmed runway impact. A Notam has since closed the UBBA/Baku FIR south sector today, which covers the airspace around UBBN. This is the first time the current Iran conflict has spilled into the Caucasus, close to the Armenia-Azerbaijan overflight corridor used by traffic avoiding the Middle East airspace closures. No impact reported to UBBB/Baku airport or the main overflight flows so far.

Middle East airspace restrictions remain largely unchanged since yesterday’s update. A small number of repatriation flights have now resumed from UAE airports under the restricted corridor routing via Saudi/Oman airspace, though most airlines continue to extend cancellations. There have also been additional missile and drone strikes reported across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The central corridor between Israel and Iran remains shut - OIIX/Tehran, ORBB/Baghdad, OTDF/Doha, OBBB/Bahrain, OKAC/Kuwait and OSTT/Damascus FIRs are still closed by Notam, and LLLL/Tel Aviv remains PPR only. Europe-Asia traffic continues to reroute either north via the Caucasus-Afghanistan or south via Egypt-Saudi-Oman. If you've operated in the region this week, please get in touch and share your experience.

Middle East airspace remains heavily restricted as of March 3. The central corridor is still shut. OIIX/Tehran, ORBB/Baghdad, OTDF/Doha, OBBB/Bahrain, OKAC/Kuwait and OSTT/Damascus FIRs are closed by Notam, and there is no through routing across the Gulf. LLLL/Tel Aviv remains PPR only. The OMAE/Emirates FIR is partially open but only via strict waypoint corridors, with ESCAT areas active, flow control in force and GNSS interference reported. UAE airports are technically accessible under these restrictions, but commercial schedules remain heavily disrupted and many airlines are extending cancellations or operating relief flights instead of normal services. Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait airports remain unavailable due to FIR closures. Europe-Asia traffic continues to route south via Egypt-Saudi-Oman or north via the Caucasus-Afghanistan, with both corridors seeing increased demand.

The UK has issued an airspace warning for the OAKX/Kabul FIR which is unrelated to the current Iranian crisis. Following renewed border clashes with Pakistan late last week, it appears to reinforce long-standing advice to consider the risks of heightened military activity before entering. While Afghanistan is a popular Iran-avoidance option right now (including the G500/P500 corridor), it’s important to note that these routes are not guaranteed to be risk-free. There’s no evidence that airlines are actively avoiding Afghan airspace, but treat the shared border region with Pakistan as higher risk at the current time.

Middle East airspace remains heavily restricted as of 2 March 1330z. The central corridor is still shut. OIIX/Tehran, ORBB/Baghdad, OTDF/Doha, OBBB/Bahrain, OKAC/Kuwait and OSTT/Damascus FIRs are closed. LLLL/Tel Aviv is closed except limited PPR. There is no through routing across the Gulf. The OMAE/UAE FIR remains partially open under new Notam issued today. The Notam permits arrivals and departures for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other UAE airports via tightly defined waypoint corridors. But official airport updates still describe operations as suspended or heavily disrupted, so this is controlled access rather than a full reopening. Airports in Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait remain unavailable while their FIRs are closed. Europe-Asia traffic continues south via Egypt-Saudi-Oman or north via the Caucasus-Afghanistan. Both corridors are busy. Check our article for more info.

Update (2000z Mar 1). US and Israeli operations continue against targets in Iran. Retaliatory missile and drone activity has been reported across the Gulf, including Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE. Israel has also been targeted. Missiles were reportedly fired toward Cyprus, with no confirmed impacts there. Airspace closures remain broad. At time of writing, the following FIRs are closed: OIIX/Tehran, ORBB/Baghdad, OBBB/Bahrain, OTDF/Doha, OKAC/Kuwait and LLLL/Tel Aviv. OMAE/Emirates FIR remains technically open but with very limited civil traffic. EASA advises operators not to overfly these FIRs at any level, and includes OJAC/Amman, OLBB/Beirut, OOMM/Muscat and OEJD/Jeddah in its risk advisory (attached). Current routings show two main corridors in use: south via Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea and Egypt, or north via Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

Following the reported death of its leader, Iran has launched a fresh wave of missiles and drone strikes across the region. One reportedly hit Terminal 3 at OMDB/Dubai. Further strikes have been reported at OMAA/Abu Dhabi, high-rise buildings in Bahrain, and Tel Aviv. There have also been additional targets in Qatar and Syria. The risk of further escalation remains likely. Airspace closures are widespread. LLLL/Tel Aviv, OKAC/Kuwait, OTDF/Doha, OBBB/Bahrain, OIIX/Tehran and ORBB/Baghdad FIRs are closed. The southern part of OSTT/Damascus FIR is also closed. This effectively blocks the central Middle East corridor. Traffic is diverting south via Saudi Arabia towards Oman, or north via Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia. There is heavy traffic through Afghanistan also. Expect significant reroutes and congestion in Saudi and Caucasus airspace. There is also potential flow control for aircraft using the L750 and P644 in Afghanistan. OMAE/UAE FIR and OJAC/Amman FIR remain open, but in practice no civilian aircraft are obeserved operating in them. All commercial flights into and out of the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain have been cancelled. There is no timeline for the resumption of services. The UK FCDO and US Dept. Of State are advising citizens in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait to shelter in place. If you have aircraft positioned in the Middle East, notify your insurers immediately, as many policies carry war-risk exclusions. Crew on layover should follow hotel security instructions and keep movements to an absolute minimum. If you’re operating in the region and have more info to share, please join the conversation in Slack.

Update - US and Israeli strikes on Iran began early Feb 28, with reported impacts near military facilities. The situation is fluid and there is a credible risk of further action and retaliation. Airspace closures remain significant. OIIX/Tehran FIR is closed, with warnings the conflict area may extend over the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. ORBB/Baghdad, OBBB/Bahrain and OTDF/Doha FIRs are closed. LLLL/Tel Aviv FIR is closed except for limited PPR civil movements. Saudi Arabia and Oman remain open, but expect congestion as traffic diverts south via Saudi into UAE and Oman, or north via Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Notably, the bulk of Europe–South East Asia traffic appears largely unaffected using the Georgia–Turkmenistan–Afghanistan routing. There are also reports that an Iranian ballistic missile wave destroyed the US AN/TPY-2 radar at Al Udeid, Qatar. This was a key early-warning radar for Gulf missile defence systems. US confirmation of damage is still pending.

US and Israeli strikes on Iran began early Feb 28, with multiple reports of impacts near military facilities. The situation remains fluid and there is a credible risk of further action and retaliation. Airspace closures are widespread. OIIX/Tehran FIR is closed, with a warning that the conflict area may extend over the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. The ORBB/Baghdad, OBBB/Bahrain, and OTDF/Doha FIRs are all closed. LLLL/Tel Aviv FIR is closed to all flights except limited PPR civil arrivals and departures. This effectively blocks the central Middle East corridor. Traffic is diverting south via Saudi Arabia towards UAE and Oman, or north via Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Expect significant reroutes and congestion in Saudi and Caucasus airspace. Check Notams carefully - timings are short and subject to rapid extension. If you’re operating in the region and have more info to share, please join the conversation in Slack.

Fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan is escalating, with further cross border strikes reported and increased military activity along the shared border. There is no indication civil aircraft are being targeted, and there is currently no evidence of airlines adjusting routings to avoid Afghanistan - flights continue to operate over central Afghan airspace or via the P500/G500 corridor. That route sits further from the main reported strike areas, but it is not guaranteed risk free. No new state airspace warnings have been issued. Afghanistan remains uncontrolled airspace - the OAKX/Kabul FIR is Class G with no ATC service. Review routing and cruise levels carefully and check safeairspace.net for current state guidance.

The FAA has reissued its KICZ Notam advising US operators to exercise caution in Mali airspace at all levels. The risk picture is unchanged. Ongoing fighting, expanding militant activity, and the presence of a state run paramilitary force operating anti aircraft systems, fighters, helicopters, UAS and electronic warfare equipment continue to pose a potential threat, including during overflight and arrival or departure. This is advisory, not a prohibition, but US operators must give the FAA at least 72 hours notice before planned flights. Check safeairspace.net for more info.

After this week’s cartel linked violence and security operations in western Mexico, airports in the region including MMGL/Guadalajara and MMPR/Puerto Vallarta are open and flights are running again. The main operational consideration now is ground access. Road blocks and security checkpoints around Jalisco and Nayarit are still affecting transport to and from the airports. If you are positioning in or out, double check your transport plan and allow extra time to reach the airport. If you have operated into the region in the past few days, please file an Airport Spy report and let us know what you’re seeing on the ground.

Civil unrest is affecting parts of western Mexico after a security operation against a cartel leader. The US Embassy has issued a shelter-in-place alert covering several states including Jalisco. There is no formal closure or related Notam at MMPR/Puerto Vallarta, but several airlines have cancelled flights due to the security situation and road access issues. MMGL/Guadalajara remains open and the airport operator reports normal ops for now, although disruptions have been reported. Roadblocks are affecting ground movements in the region, so plan transfers carefully and check with your handler for short-notice changes.

Explosive drone attacks were reported at FZIC/Kisangani airport on Jan 31 and Feb 1, targeting military facilities on the field. The attacks were claimed by the AFC/M23 rebel coalition - the same group involved in ongoing fighting around North Kivu and FZNA/Goma near the Rwanda border. The US Embassy warns the security situation in and around the airport remains unpredictable. While Kisangani is not in the main border conflict zone, this incident highlights the broader instability in DRC. UK and Canadian guidance already warns of potential anti-aircraft risk in the eastern portion of the Kinshasa FIR. The US State Dept continues to advise against non-essential travel to the DRC.

IFALPA has re-issued its guidance on contingency procedures for crew security (and their belongings) during layovers in countries where safety is unpredictable. This includes potential for terrorist attacks, civil unrest or natural disasters. While ICAO Doc 8973 has limited guidance, it’s also recommended that security programs should include several additional precautions. These focus on two areas - continuous risk assessment (including PIC discretion), and the avoidance of unnecessary attention. For the latter, this includes separate security screening, protection during transit to/from the airport, baggage verification and the confidentiality of accommodation details. You can read more via the attached link.

A Cessna Caravan operating a passenger service was shot at during landing at Korowai Batu, South Papua on 11 Feb. Both pilots were killed, passengers escaped unharmed. Authorities have blamed an armed separatist group for the attack. Papua has a recent history of attacks on civil aircraft and remote airstrips - IFALPA previously warned of serious security concerns and noted the region has been categorised as a high security risk area. Operators should run a local security risk assessment and minimise time on the ground at remote strips.

Two US-based bizjet pilots have been detained in GUCY/Conakry since Dec 29 after a tech stop while positioning from Suriname to Dubai. A court has reportedly ordered conditional release, but that hasn’t been enforced. The crew say they believed the required permits were in place, but authorities allege the landing wasn’t properly authorised. Guinea has been under military rule since the 2021 coup. Treat Conakry as higher-risk for tech stops. An ATC clearance alone doesn’t necessarily mean your paperwork is in order.

EPLB/Lublin and EPRZ/Rzeszow were closed for about 3 hours early on Feb 7 after Poland raised its air defence alert due to Russian strikes on Ukraine. No airspace incursion into Poland was reported. Flights resumed the same morning. This is the fourth similar shutdown since Sep 2025, all short notice and tied to regional military activity. Pattern so far is brief closures, then reopen once the situation settles. If you’re planning SE Poland near the border, expect occasional same day suspensions and make sure alternates and timing have some slack.

The FAA rescinded all flight bans and cautionary Notams for Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Curacao on Jan 29. There are now no FAA restrictions or advisories in effect for SVZM/Maiquetia, TJZS/San Juan, or TNCF/Curacao airspace. That closes out the short lived warnings issued after the Jan 3 US strikes. However, the FAA has kept separate “exercise caution” Notams in place for parts of the central and eastern Pacific, covering MHTG/Cenamer, MMFR/Mexico, MMFO/Mazatlan Oceanic, MPZL/Panama, SKED/Bogota, SEFG/Guayaquil, and nearby Pacific airspace. These cite intermittent GPS interference and military aircraft possibly without transponders. Plan accordingly if routing that way.

The military will be conducting GPS jamming exercises affecting Central Texas for most of February. The affected area will be unusually large. The FAA has published a flight advisory for these events. The windows to be aware of are: 2300-0500 LT (Feb 5-12 and Feb 15-22), 0300-0500 LT (Feb 13-14) and 0200-0500 LT (Feb 23-27). A 600 NM radius centered on Fort Hood (slightly north of Austin) may impact Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City with weak or unreliable signals affecting WAAS, GBAS and ADS-B below FL250. Keep an eye on the Notams, as these timings and levels are subject to change at short notice.

South America is still dealing with a bit of a GNSS headache, mainly in Colombia, where GNSS may be unavailable or even fully lost, with the biggest concern around SKRG/Medellin, especially below 9000 ft AMSL. Colombia also reminds crews that any interference causing a loss of RNAV/RNP integrity must be reported to ATC right away, while interference without integrity loss does not need reporting, and the crew always has the final say on whether to accept a procedure. To round things off, Guyana is reporting GNSS interruptions in SYGC/Georgetown FIR, mainly in the NW to NE sectors, so expect possible degraded navigation there too.

GNSS interference in Trinidad and Tobago is not going away. The local CAA has extended the warning through Feb 19, covering both TTPP/Port of Spain and TTCP/ANR Robinson, with reported signal interruptions around local navaids. This lines up with ICAO’s wider regional picture, showing a growing trend of jamming and spoofing across northern South America and nearby Caribbean FIRs. In day to day ops, crews are mainly seeing things like NAV UNABLE RNP messages, FMS position issues, and occasional ADS-B dropouts.

The FAA has ordered a permanent ban on almost all helicopter flights in airspace near the airport. Until now these measures were temporary, following the mid-air collision in January 2025. The rule heavily restricts helicopters in the area between the Memorial Bridge, Hains Point and the Wilson Bridge. Only those engaged in essential ops will be allowed - basically air ambulance, active national security and law enforcement or flights carrying the US president or vice-president. There will be no more military training, or other routine ops in this airspace.

The US FAA has issued new “exercise caution” KICZ Notams plus a Background Note covering Pacific overwater portions of several FIRs - MHTG/Cenamer, MMFR/Mexico, MMFO/Mazatlan Oceanic, MPZL/Panama, SKED/Bogota, SEFG/Guayaquil, plus part of the unassigned eastern Pacific (XX01). There are no specific routing bans, but the warnings cite intermittent GPS interference and ongoing military activity, including aircraft possibly operating without transponders, with risk at all altitudes including arrivals and departures. This is likely due to increased US counter-cartel and Panama Canal security activity rather than a one-off event.

Member report from a Gulfstream crew: flying westbound in VYYF/Yangon FIR on W26/G473 between GOKON and BGO, they experienced 20-30 minutes of GPS spoofing. GPS alt showed 1000-1500 feet, triggering half a dozen bogus GPWS “Pull Up” warnings. The spoofing ended near the Kolkata FIR boundary. GPS 1 recovered on its own, but they had to reset NAV 2 manually. GPS issues in VYYY/Yangon have been getting worse lately. If you're flying this route, it might be best to isolate the GPS from the nav system before entry and be ready for nuisance alerts.

Iranian airspace has reopened after a sudden five-hour closure last night that triggered diversions and cancellations. No official explanation has been given. Overflights have resumed, but most operators continue to avoid the OIIX/Tehran FIR due to elevated risk and existing airspace warnings. If you’re operating in the region, the bigger risk picture hasn’t changed - further short-notice airspace closures remain possible. Also note that on 14 Jan, Germany issued a new airspace warning advising operators not to enter the OIIX/Tehran FIR at any level due to air defence risks. See safeairspace.net for more info.

Iran has closed its airspace (the OIIX/Tehran FIR) at short notice from 14 Jan 2215Z to 15 Jan 0330Z to all flights except international civil arrivals and departures with prior Iran CAA permission (OIIX Notam A0226/26 refers). The published end time is estimated only and may be extended with little notice. The sudden FIR-wide closure comes amid nationwide unrest and elevated security tensions, with most carriers already avoiding Iranian airspace, and may signal further security or military activity, including the risk of missile launches or air defence operations. So far, no additional airspace closures have been announced in neighbouring FIRs, but flights in adjacent airspace should monitor closely for spillover restrictions or rapid changes.

The situation in Iran remains highly unstable. On Jan 13, the US advised its citizens to leave the country immediately, and several airlines have reduced or suspended services. Internet and telecom outages continue, limiting local comms and coordination. There are no new official airspace warnings for the OIIX/Tehran FIR yet, but the risk picture could change quickly and also affect adjacent airspace. Past escalations in the region have led to sudden airspace closures with little notice. During periods like this, Iranian air defence units may be on heightened alert, increasing the risk of misidentification of civil traffic.

Iran is experiencing its most significant civil unrest in years due to political protests. Authorities have imposed a nationwide internet and communications blackout, meaning almost no connectivity. Fatalities have been reported in several cities, including Tehran. A number of major Middle Eastern carriers are cancelling flights there. In response to international concerns, the US Government has warned the situation may deteriorate and is not ruling out some form of military intervention. This in addition to any retaliatory response by Iran could elevate risks in the OIIX/Tehran FIR at short notice. Ops in the region should keep a close eye on the situation.

OPSGROUP members have reported serious runway surface issues at TVSC. Expect potholes, loose gravel and debris across RWY 13, with a real risk of tyre cuts and FOD. Left side is marginally better - centre and right are worst. Even idle reverse has been throwing rocks into wings and landing gear - avoid reversers if possible. Patching is ongoing but conditions keep degrading. Handlers say the government is considering a full runway closure in 2026 for replacement. Fuel is available but the meter is reportedly unserviceable. Staff are helpful, but if you have a choice, crews recommend using TVSA/Argyle instead.

Like the US, Canada has downgraded its airspace warning for the SVZM/Maiquetia FIR from a prohibition to a caution. For Canadian operators, it’s now advised to remain at or above FL200 at all times; and a risk assessment should also be carried out before operating within 100nm of Venezuelan airspace while overflying the TJZS/San Juan, SKEC/Barranquilla, SKED/Bogota, SBAZ/Amazonica, SYGC/Georgetown, TTZP/Piarco or TNCF/Curacao FIRs due to military activity. Check safeairspace.net for more info.

The FAA has lifted the temporary ban on US operators in SVZM/Maiquetia, TJZS/San Juan, TNCF/Curacao, and the TTZP/Piarco FIR west of 57W, and has reverted to earlier guidance advising caution at all altitudes due to ongoing military activity. EASA, along with several European states, have also issued airspace warnings for the region. Elevated risk remains, particularly from military aircraft operating close to civil traffic, the potential for misidentification, and reduced ATC and traffic visibility. See safeairspace.net for more info.

The FAA has temporarily prohibited US operators from flying at all altitudes in Venezuela’s SVZM/Maiquetia FIR, as well as in the TJZS/San Juan and TNCF/Curacao FIRs, plus the TTZP/Piarco FIR west of 57W - which in practice covers the entire eastern Caribbean island chain. The restrictions are currently valid until at least 0500z on Jan 4, with extensions or adjustments likely as the situation develops. Multiple KICZ Notams cite safety-of-flight risks from ongoing military activity in and around Venezuela. This follows US airstrikes on Jan 3, a major security operation that resulted in the arrest of Venezuela’s president, the declaration of a nationwide state of emergency, and explosions and intense military activity in Caracas. The new airspace warnings point to elevated military activity, heightened air-defence alert levels, and an increased risk of misidentification in and around the affected FIRs. Beyond the US, EASA, France, and Germany have issued airspace warnings advising operators to avoid Venezuelan airspace, and to exercise caution or avoid parts of the surrounding Caribbean airspace due to spillover risk. Earlier airspace warnings for the region flagged GPS interference, unpredictable military traffic at all levels, and reduced ATC visibility - issues operators have been encountering in the region over the past few months. Several international airlines have been avoiding Venezuelan airspace since late 2025, following airspace warnings issued in November. Since the new restrictions took effect on Jan 3, cancellations and rerouting across the eastern Caribbean have increased. Airports remain open, but many N-reg aircraft cannot legally depart under the new FAA restrictions and are being held on the ground, pushing some Caribbean FBO ramps close to capacity. If you're operating in the area and have any updates to share, please join the conversation on Slack and let other OPSGROUP members know, or email us at news@ops.group.

There have been two serious runway incursions at RPLL/Manila in the past month involving aircraft taxiing from Terminal 3 via Taxiway D. In both cases, crews were instructed to turn onto Taxiway C but mistook the junction and entered active Runway 06 instead. The confusion appears to occur at the intersection of Runway 13/31, Taxiway D, and Taxiway C, where surface signage and markings are poorly defined. Crews should exercise extra caution - if correctly lined up on Taxiway C, your heading should be approximately 240° when taxiing toward Runway 06. Take your time and confirm routing carefully. There is no Surface Movement Radar in Manila.

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