The UK's Transport Minister has issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) advising airlines to avoid flying below 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) when overflying Afghanistan. The advisory was issued following a deadly attack near the Afghan capital of Kabul on August 26th.
Responding to recent attacks
In a message posted on Twitter, the UK's Transport Minister, Grant Shapps, announced that he was issuing a NOTAM to advise airlines against flying through Afghan airspace under 25,000 feet (7,620 meters).
Shapp's announcement comes a month after the Federal Aviation Administration issued its own NOTAM prohibiting most US carriers from flying below 26,000 feet in the Kabul flight information region. The administration cited extremist and militant activity as the reason for its decision.
The "shocking scenes" Shapps refers to in his message refers to two separate yet coordinated bombing attacks outside the Kabul airport on August 26th. According to CNN, 13 US service members and at least 60 Afghans were killed. Additionally, 18 US service members were injured.
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UK airlines not affected
While the NOTAM was issued by a UK government official, the NOTAM won't immediately affect the country's airlines. Indeed, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have been avoiding Afghan airspace altogether in past weeks.
This has seen British Airways take a longer path to its South Asian destinations, avoiding the airspace of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran for its flights to India and Pakistan. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic, unlike British Airways, has decided to overfly Turkey and Iraq for its flights to the region, avoiding the airspace of Iran and Afghanistan.
Despite these actions by UK airlines, the NOTAM issued by UK's Transport Minister also serves as a warning to non-UK airlines still choosing to overfly Afghanistan.
This warning could serve two purposes:- Firstly, it serves as a precaution against attacks on civilian aircraft from weapons such as MANPADS (Man-portable air-defense systems) and other surface-to-air weapons.
- Secondly, should international forces choose to deploy drones or other military aircraft to deal with the ongoing conflict, the airspace can remain clear.
The August 31st deadline
Thursday's attack comes amid a fast-closing window for evacuating people out of the country. The Taliban have allowed for evacuations to take place until August 31st. At the same time, however, it has been reported that Taliban forces have established checkpoints around the airport, restricting many people from even getting to the evacuation point, even beating those who try to pass.
The attack on the 26th brings with it more uncertainty to the overall situation and the withdrawal of foreign groups. Commenting on the recent violence, US President Biden stated the following:
“To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive...We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.” -President Biden via The New York Times
This message of retaliation may indicate a robust military response, which would likely have forces in the country past August 31st.
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