Why gaps over Tibet, Ukraine and Iran? Global air traffic has a story to tell

The current global air traffic data clearly reflects the conflicts happening in various parts of the world. In an image shared by Flightradar24, the air traffic looks busy and congested. However, you could also see three huge gaps with little to no air traffic. These gaps are seen above conflict zones like Ukraine, Iran, and Tibet.

Ukraine is currently engaged in a war with Russia, while Israel has been striking Iran with air raids. Israel began the offensive on June 13 and has been targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile centres, military establishments and other strategic spots. The Iranian airspace has been clear since the attacks began, as all the flights in this route have either been cancelled or rerouted. The images show that no commercial airline has been flying over these countries since the conflict started.

Meanwhile, the airspace above Ukraine is devoid of any air traffic. The Russia–Ukraine war started around two years ago. The clear airspace is also an indication of how the regular lives of common people in these countries have been disrupted due to the bloody conflicts. The flights that were supposed to operate on these routes have already been rerouted. This has subsequently caused fuel loss, a hike in fuel price, financial loss and longer flight hours.

Tibet, which is situated 16,000 feet above sea level, is one of the highest regions on earth. Commercial flights rarely fly over Tibet as there is a risk of accidents while flying at such an altitude. Although there are many regions on earth where air travel has been banned, they are not marked on the graph as these places lack a scope for the aviation industry.