In a recent development, the US Department of Transportation has imposed a hefty $250,000 fine on Air Canada for operating flights in restricted airspace over Iraq using the designator code of US carrier United Airlines Holdings Inc. The incidents, which took place between October 2022 and January 2023, involved a significant number of flights between the United Arab Emirates and Canada.
Air Canada has acknowledged that these flights were conducted inadvertently and were not planned. The airline cited various factors that led to the violations, including air traffic control restrictions and the need to switch to a larger aircraft that required more time to reach the required altitude. Despite the unauthorized flights, the airline maintained that safety was not compromised during these incidents.
Upon being notified by the US government about the potential violations, Air Canada took immediate corrective action. This included reminding its flight crews to adhere to airspace restrictions, conducting an internal investigation to determine the reasons for the deviations from company policy, and implementing additional measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
While Air Canada has expressed regret over the unauthorized flights over Iraq, United Airlines Holdings Inc., whose designator code was used during these incidents, has chosen not to comment on the matter. This fine serves as a reminder of the importance of strict adherence to airspace regulations and procedures to ensure the safety and security of air travel operations.