How Planes Fly Without Air Traffic Control | Half as Interesting

The Gist

Planes flying over Afghanistan must navigate an entirely uncontrolled airspace without air traffic control by following six fixed permanent routes and emailing the Taliban 48 hours in advance for express permission.

Quick Overview

Commercial airlines flying over Afghanistan operate in completely uncontrolled airspace, classified as Class G, relying entirely on self-separation and 48-hour email notifications sent directly to the Taliban. Since the United States withdrew in 2021 and removed air traffic controllers, Afghanistan's airspace went from handling over 100,000 annual overflights to zero, until airlines resumed routes using rigid flight plans and mandatory 700 dollar intermediary fees. Pilots must broadcast their position over the radio every five minutes and maintain a 15-minute buffer behind other aircraft to prevent collisions.

Key Points: Air France flight 256 from Paris to Ho Chi Minh City lost contact with air traffic control for nearly an hour on September 29th due to flying over Afghanistan. Afghanistan airspace is divided into six fixed permanent routes, and pilots cannot alter their altitude, reroute, slow down, or speed up once inside. Airlines must send a flight permission request email 48 hours in advance to a Gmail address used by the Afghan Civil Aviation Authority under the Taliban. Airlines must pay a 700 dollar fee through an intermediary in the United Arab Emirates directly to the Taliban to secure flight approval. Air traffic control from a neighboring country provides a 15-minute entry window behind other planes at the same altitude before handing the flight over to self-separation. Pilots navigating Afghan airspace must switch on all exterior lights and broadcast their position over the radio every five minutes.

Context: Following the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the country lost all professional air traffic control services. Major Western airlines now face difficult routing choices between Europe and Asia that force them to navigate this completely uncontrolled and hazardous airspace.