Mozambique Airspace
Current Status
The Beira FIR (FQBE) covers Mozambique's airspace, which serves as a transit corridor for flights between Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean region. The airspace is open to international traffic, with Maputo and Beira airports handling the majority of international operations.
The northern province of Cabo Delgado has experienced an Islamist internal conflict since 2017, with attacks on towns and infrastructure. The conflict has drawn multinational military responses, including forces from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Military air operations in the north are ongoing.
The TotalEnergies LNG project in Cabo Delgado — one of Africa's largest — has been suspended since 2021 due to the internal conflict. Security operations around the project site include military air activity. The central and southern portions of the FIR are unaffected by conflict and operate normally.
Key Risks
Active internal conflict in the north with ongoing military operations. Low-level flights in Cabo Delgado province carry elevated risk.
Rwandan and SADC military forces conduct air operations in northern Mozambique, primarily at lower flight levels.
Radar coverage is concentrated around major airports, with procedural control in remote areas of the large FIR.
Mozambique is vulnerable to tropical cyclones from November to April, causing periodic airport closures and route disruptions.
Recent Events
Rwandan forces expanded operations in Cabo Delgado, adding helicopter patrols near the Afungi LNG site.
Post-election unrest in central Mozambique caused temporary disruptions at Beira airport.
TotalEnergies announced continued suspension of Cabo Delgado LNG project, citing security conditions.
Insurgent attacks decreased in frequency following expanded military operations, but sporadic incidents continued.
EASA & FAA Guidance
Neither EASA nor the FAA currently restricts operations within the Beira FIR. Operators are advised to monitor NOTAMs for military activity in northern Mozambique and cyclone-related restrictions during the wet season. The overall risk assessment for the FIR remains at monitoring level, with elevated risk confined to the Cabo Delgado region.
Related
This page provides publicly available information about airspace conditions. Always consult official sources (ICAO, EASA, FAA) for operational decisions.