MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Somalia has regained its Class A in airspace classification after a 30-year disruption following collapse of the country’s central government led by the then late President Mohamed Siyad Barre.
The three-decade disruption to air traffic control services for the airspace over Somalia and the surrounding region ended at one minute past midnight on January 26 with the reclassification of the Mogadishu Flight Information Region from Class G (uncontrolled) to Class A.
Class A airspace is the sky above the base altitude of about 24,500 feet (7,467 meters) above mean sea level, according to IATA.
In it, all flights must be cleared by air traffic control, which is responsible for maintaining the correct separation between aircraft, which required the Mogadishu FIR to install new equipment.
Some of the region’s busiest airways traverse Somalian airspace, including those linking the African subcontinent south of Ethiopia with the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent as well as Western Europe with the Indian subcontinent and Indian Ocean islands—traverse Somalian airspace.
Somali officials welcomed the move.
“It [is] welcoming news. We will be celebrating,” said Ahmed Moallin Hassan, director general of Somali Civil Aviation Authority.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomes the reclassification of airspace over Somalia and the surrounding region to Class A.
“The reclassification of the Mogadishu FIR as ‘Class A’ airspace will significantly improve safety in the region and enhance efficiency,” said IATA’s regional vice president for the Middle East and Africa, Kamil Al-Awadhi. “This is thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Somalia Airspace Special Coordination Team, comprising the Somali CAA, IATA, the International Civil Aviation Organization, adjacent FIRs and airlines.”
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