Afghanistan Airspace
Current Status
The Kabul FIR (OAKX) has been under an EASA CZIB since August 2021 following the post-2021 Afghan administration transition. Afghan ATC has resumed limited operations under the post-2021 Afghan administration-appointed Civil Aviation Authority, but without ICAO certification, standardized training verification, or any regulatory framework that international carriers trust.
The OAKX FIR sits on one of the busiest routing corridors between Europe and South/Southeast Asia. Before 2021, hundreds of flights daily transited Afghan airspace. The closure forced massive rerouting through Iran (also restricted), Turkmenistan, and Pakistan, significantly increasing flight times and costs for carriers serving India, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.
Some overflights at higher altitudes have resumed through coordination between Kabul ATC and adjacent FIRs (Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan), but most Western carriers continue to avoid the FIR entirely. Regional operators and some Gulf carriers use limited OAKX transit corridors.
Key Risks
currently-operated ATC lacks ICAO oversight, standardized controller training, and international regulatory certification.
Ongoing resistance activity and inter-factional conflict create unpredictable security conditions on the ground and in the air.
Many navigation aids and radar systems are non-functional or degraded since the 2021 transition.
Search and rescue capabilities are minimal, and emergency services at Afghan airports are below ICAO standards.
Recent Events
EASA renewed CZIB for OAKX FIR, maintaining advisory against operations pending ICAO verification.
the post-2021 Afghan aviation authority requested ICAO assessment visit for potential ATC recertification; no date set.
Several Gulf carriers resumed limited overflight of OAKX FIR at upper flight levels with bilateral ATC coordination.
post-2021 Afghan administration transition of Kabul. ATC staff fled. EASA issued immediate CZIB for OAKX FIR at all flight levels.
EASA & FAA Guidance
EASA CZIB 2021-02 (continuously renewed) advises EU operators to avoid the Kabul FIR (OAKX) at all flight levels. The FAA prohibits US civil aviation in Afghan airspace. Both agencies require ICAO verification of ATC capabilities before any reassessment, which has not been scheduled.
Related
This page provides publicly available information about airspace conditions. Always consult official sources (ICAO, EASA, FAA) for operational decisions.