Image via Shutterstock
Airlines are demanding a review of international security protocols that determine which air space is safe for passenger aircraft in the wake of the MH17 tragedy.
Lufthansa and Emirates are urging airlines, industry bodies and government authorities to re-assess rules around air space in response to the downing of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 over eastern Ukraine last week.
The two carriers are pressing for a summit to determine how the industry should approach conflict zones in future.
Lufthansa said MH17, which is believed to have been brought down by a Russian ground-to-air missile fired from rebel-held territory, was a “terrible accident … of an entirely new magnitude”.
“We always put the safety and security of our customers and our crews first at the Lufthansa Group and so – needless to say – yes, we strongly support such a summit,” Europe’s biggest airline by revenue said.
“Our airlines have established procedures in place in order to ensure a continuous and thorough security assessment of their operations and they regularly review these procedures.
“The terrible accident of MH17 is of an entirely new magnitude though. Airlines, industry organisations and government authorities will have to jointly review international security protocols as we go forward.”
Airline analyst Saj Ahmad of StrategicAero Research told the Telegraph that a directive from European authorities “should have been in place months ago” to avoid air space over troubled parts of Ukraine.
MAS said MH17’s flight path had been approved by Eurocontrol and insisted the route was frequently used by airlines flying passengers between Europe and Asia.
Iata said there would be a “global dialogue” on how to tackle conflict zones in future once all of the evidence has been gathered.
Kevin Hiatt, senior vice-president for safety and flight operations at the association, said: “Everyone connected with air transport wants to make sure that such a tragedy is not repeated.
“To realise that goal we need to gather the best advice and broadest knowledge possible. Industry experts are already mobilised and engaged at a global level.
“Once we are clear on the facts and we have expert analysis to guide us, the engagement will move to a higher level of global dialogue.”