Loke: Airlines to avoid flying over India and Pakistan

PUTRAJAYA: It is standard operating procedure for airlines to avoid flying over conflict areas, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke when asked about the escalating tension between India and Pakistan.

He said pilots would divert from flying along those routes.

“I have been told that a notice has been issued to notify all airlines that these (India and Pakistan) are conflict zones.

“So they will be avoiding these zones for passengers’ safety,” he said when asked about the escalating tension between the two countries.

Loke was speaking to reporters after launching the road safety module for primary schools with Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik on Thursday (Feb 28).

An AFP report said both Pakistan and India claimed on Wednesday (Feb 27) that they had shot down each other’s warplanes, in a dramatic escalation of the dangerous confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals.