new delhi travel time between east including india and the west could reduce in coming weeks with key aviation regulators allowing their countryregions commercial aircraft to resume overflying afghanistan which had stopped in august 2021 after taliban took over the country the us federal aviation administration faa this week allowed american airliners to overfly kabul flight information region fir that covers all of afghanistan over 32000 feet due to diminished risks to us civil aviation operations at those altitudes the european union aviation safety agency easa has a similar directive for its member state airlines that they should not fly below 32000 feet as there is a continued possible threat to civil aviation resulting in a high risk to operations at lower altitudes toi has learnt some major european airlines including those with significant india routes are planning test flights over the country indian aviation authorities did not comment on the issuesince august 2021 all flight between the west and east including north india take longer routes to avoid overflying afghanistan something has added about half an hour of flying time then last summer when russia attacked ukraine airspace restrictions increased further with western carriers not overflying russia airspace afghanistan reopening will at least clear one section of the logjammed route additionally there is an aviation safety concern due to the absence or limited air traffic service ats capacities across the entire country extremist nonstate actor groups remain active and might sporadically target aviation facilities in multiple ways including direct rocket or mortar attacks indirect fire or suicide bombers easa says while advising airlines of member states to take this information and any other relevant information into account in their own risk assessments alongside any available guidance or directions from their national authority as appropriate following the taliban takeover of afghanistan international civil aviation organisation asiapacific office made contact with afghanistans civil aviation authority and stood up a contingency coordination team cct composed of afghanistan and neighbouring air navigation service providers they established a contingency plan for safe resumption of civil overflights in kabul fir subsequently afghanistan issued a series of notams notice to airmen delineating overflight procedures and established altitude blocks for specific categories of flight operations across various regions says the faa rule issued this tuesday july 25 the overflight procedures are based on traffic information by aircraft tiba procedures which pilots use in areas around the world where air traffic services are very limited or unavailable to maintain safe separation between aircraft consequently faa has determined us civil aviation operations in the kabul fir may resume at altitudes at or above 32000 feet due to diminished risks to us civil aviation operations at those altitudes the rule sayssenior officials of indian airlines with flights to the west say it could be a while before overflying afghanistan is resumed faa nod is a big step that may lead other aviation regulators to follow suit but every country will have to do a risk analysis and work