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Mr Lui further justified by saying the Ukrainian airspace lies on the most optimal route for aircraft travelling between Europe, and the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia. He said that other airlines were also using the route, including: Qatar Airways，Emirates, Etihad, Air India, Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Swiss Air, Thai Airways, as well as SIA.
Still, despite Mr Lui’s explanation, many other world’s best-known airlines – including British Airways, Qantas and Cathay Pacific – have avoided Ukrainian airspace altogether due to safety fears, for months before the downing of flight MH17 [Link].
Mr Lui also explained that flight planning lies with airlines. He said, “Singapore carriers, such as SIA, utilise sophisticated computer-based flight planning systems to help them in their flight planning.”
Singapore carriers will always put safety first and will never compromise the lives of its passengers and crew, he said. He explained that for several years now, SIA has “proactively avoided flying over certain conflict areas in the Middle East”, even though the airways there have been available for commercial flights, and even though various other carriers continue to use them.
However, with regard to the airspace in which MH17 was flying, SIA had relied on the information available and kept its flights clear of the restricted heights.
“As there were no restrictions for flights above 32,000 feet or any information suggesting threats to aircraft at those heights, SIA, like many other airlines plying between Europe and Asia, had continued to use that airspace,” he said.
Mr Lui confirmed that at the time of the downing of MH17, flight SQ351 from Copenhagen was estimated to be approximately 90km away.
“As soon as SIA received news of the incident, they immediately re-routed all their flights to avoid Ukrainian airspace entirely,” he said.
When the MH17 incident happened, SIA initially denied using the Ukrainian airspace but later, changed its position and admitted using the airspace (‘SIA: We use Ukraine airspace cause its Govt clears it‘).
http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/08/04/lui-on-mh17-ukraine-allowed-flights-above-32000-feet/
Still, despite Mr Lui’s explanation, many other world’s best-known airlines – including British Airways, Qantas and Cathay Pacific – have avoided Ukrainian airspace altogether due to safety fears, for months before the downing of flight MH17 [Link].
Mr Lui also explained that flight planning lies with airlines. He said, “Singapore carriers, such as SIA, utilise sophisticated computer-based flight planning systems to help them in their flight planning.”
Singapore carriers will always put safety first and will never compromise the lives of its passengers and crew, he said. He explained that for several years now, SIA has “proactively avoided flying over certain conflict areas in the Middle East”, even though the airways there have been available for commercial flights, and even though various other carriers continue to use them.
However, with regard to the airspace in which MH17 was flying, SIA had relied on the information available and kept its flights clear of the restricted heights.
“As there were no restrictions for flights above 32,000 feet or any information suggesting threats to aircraft at those heights, SIA, like many other airlines plying between Europe and Asia, had continued to use that airspace,” he said.
Mr Lui confirmed that at the time of the downing of MH17, flight SQ351 from Copenhagen was estimated to be approximately 90km away.
“As soon as SIA received news of the incident, they immediately re-routed all their flights to avoid Ukrainian airspace entirely,” he said.
When the MH17 incident happened, SIA initially denied using the Ukrainian airspace but later, changed its position and admitted using the airspace (‘SIA: We use Ukraine airspace cause its Govt clears it‘).
http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/08/04/lui-on-mh17-ukraine-allowed-flights-above-32000-feet/
