NEW DELHI: Amid escalating tensions in the West Asia conflict involving Israel, Iran, and the US, concerns over civilian aviation safety have intensified. The Airlines Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) on Saturday (March 28) urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to immediately suspend flight operations into high-risk conflict zones in West Asia.
In a letter to the regulator, ALPA highlighted that flying civilian aircraft in or near active war zones poses a serious threat to passengers, crew, and aircraft. The association termed such operations as “wilful endangerment of human life.”
The pilots’ body pointed to the DGCA’s March 19 safety advisory, which asked airlines to carry out their own risk assessments. ALPA said this approach raises “significant concerns.”
According to the association, commercial airlines lack the intelligence and surveillance capabilities required to assess geopolitical risks in conflict-hit regions. It stressed that such evaluations should be handled by government authorities and specialised agencies, not individual operators.
Insurance coverage concerns for crew
ALPA also flagged the lack of clarity on war-risk insurance coverage for pilots and crew operating in West Asia.
The association said pilots have repeatedly sought confirmation on whether their insurance remains valid in conflict zones, but no formal assurance or documentation has been provided so far.
It warned that airlines may not have adequate insurance provisions or riders to cover such high-risk operations.
Cites past civilian aircraft shootdowns
Highlighting the dangers, ALPA cited past incidents where civilian aircraft were shot down during conflicts. These include the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the United States, Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 by Israel, and Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 by Iran.
The association said such incidents underline the risks of operating flights in volatile airspace during military tensions.
Call for immediate action and inquiry
ALPA has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA to take urgent steps, including:
- Immediate suspension of flights to identified high-risk zones
- Issuing clear and binding operational guidelines based on intelligence inputs
- Mandatory disclosure and verification of war-risk insurance for crew
- A detailed inquiry into decision-making within Air India regarding ongoing West Asia operations
The pilots’ body also called for accountability if safety protocols and insurance requirements are found lacking.
With the West Asia conflict intensifying, global aviation safety has come under renewed scrutiny. Coordinated risk assessment and strict regulatory oversight are critical to ensuring passenger and crew safety in volatile regions. - The Statesman/ANN
