Singapore carriers told to review conflict zone risk assessment

SINGAPORE — In the wake of the downing of Flight MH17, Singapore carriers have been asked to review their risk assessment of flight operations over conflict areas, said Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew yesterday.

Noting that Singapore carriers are already required to consider all necessary information for the safe conduct of flights, he reiterated that there had been no flight restrictions issued for the airspace above 32,000ft in which the Malaysia Airlines jetliner was shot down last month — and where a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight from Copenhagen was flying too, approximately 90km away.

Nevertheless, the aviation authorities are also looking to enhance the sharing of safety and security information with other national aviation authorities and airlines so that operators can plan their flight routes and assess risks more robustly, he added.

“International civil aviation requires an aircraft to traverse multiple countries, but no single authority would be able to provide all the information on the situation outside its jurisdiction,” he said. “Countries need to rely on one another, and need to work together in order to ensure the continued safety of civil aviation.”

Singapore will also participate in the efforts led by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to review the issues and potential responses pertaining to civilian planes operating in conflict areas, Mr Lui added.

Yesterday, Mr Lui told the House that the Ukrainian airspace in which Flight MH17 and the SIA flight were in had commercial flight restrictions only up to 32,000ft. As a result, national aviation authorities, regional aviation bodies and the ICAO did not advise aircraft to avoid this airspace, he said.

But as soon as SIA received news of the incident, it immediately re-routed all its flights to avoid Ukrainian airspace entirely, he added.

“The Ukrainian authority is in the best position to assess the threat to commercial flights over its airspace. Indeed, under international law, Ukraine is responsible for putting in place measures to ensure the safe passage of civilian aircraft,” said Mr Lui.

Nominated Member of Parliament Eugene Tan questioned why the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and SIA allowed flights over the eastern Ukraine given that other aircraft had been shot down in the area. He added that although other airlines and international authorities had allowed flights through the airspace, it is down to each individual airline and national aviation authorities to keep skies safe.

Mr Lui said that best knowledge of the location comes from those situated near to it. “20-20 hindsight is most prescient in those who operate from the sidelines. We just have to make sure that we take these factors into consideration. We look at what other airlines are doing. We look at what other regional authorities are doing and the warnings that they might be issuing and we take all that into consideration.”

He added: “We will have to make our own best decision ... because if we are to avoid every conflict area, I think it will be very difficult for us to continue flying to many parts of the world.”