Sudan Airspace
Live status & airspace monitoring
HSSS (Khartoum FIR) has been closed to civil traffic since the outbreak of internal armed conflict on 15 April 2023. EASA CZIB and FAA SFAR advisories remain active. Khartoum airport (HSSS/KRT) has been non-operational. Humanitarian and evacuation operations have taken place under separate coordination.
Executive summary
HSSS (Khartoum FIR) remains closed to civilian aviation since the outbreak of armed conflict on 15 April 2023. EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletin and FAA Special Federal Aviation Regulation advisories remain in effect. Khartoum International Airport (KRT, HSSS) is non-operational. Regional and long-haul carriers continue to reroute East Africa traffic via Egyptian (HECA), Eritrean (HHAA), and Kenyan (HKNA) airspace. The next review window should track any phased reopening framework or coordinated international resumption.
FIR-by-FIR status
| ICAO | Status | Last change | Source | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSSS | CLOSED (civil aviation suspended) | Closed since 2023-04-15 | EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins (CZIB) | 2026-05-09T07:00:00Z |
| HECA | Reroute alternative — open (Egypt) | Routine operations | FlySafe Traffic Volume Monitoring | 2026-05-09T07:00:00Z |
| HHAA | Reroute alternative — open (Eritrea) | Routine operations | FlySafe Traffic Volume Monitoring | 2026-05-09T07:00:00Z |
| HKNA | Reroute alternative — open (Kenya) | Routine operations | FlySafe Traffic Volume Monitoring | 2026-05-09T07:00:00Z |
Regulatory context
EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB) for HSSS specifies full FIR avoidance for EU-registered operators. FAA Special Federal Aviation Regulations (SFAR) prohibit US-registered civil operations in Sudan airspace. ICAO Annex 11 §2.6 governs overflight permission protocols. AIP entries for HSSS are not currently captured in primary data sources. EU Regulation 965/2012 ORO.GEN.110 requires operators to assess airspace risk. Live NOTAM data not currently accessible; status pending verification through next review.
Industry implications
HSSS closure has been structurally absorbed by carriers operating Europe–East Africa, Middle East–East Africa, and trans-Africa traffic. Cost projections require verified industry data and are not currently displayed. Egyptian (HECA) and Kenyan (HKNA) airspace handle the bulk of rerouted traffic. Insurers price political-risk premiums for ground operations and aircraft repossession risk in the region; carriers with Khartoum hub or technical-stop arrangements have largely written down related operations. Reopening would require coordinated international framework development and is not on a public timeline.
Source lineage
- EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins (CZIB) retrieved 2026-05-09T07:00:00.000Z
- FlySafe FIR Status Detection (24-hour zero-traffic threshold) retrieved 2026-05-09T07:00:00.000Z
- FlySafe Traffic Volume Monitoring retrieved 2026-05-09T07:00:00.000Z
- AIRAC Aeronautical Information Cycle retrieved 2026-05-09T07:00:00.000Z
Related references
Update Log
- 2026-05-09 Migrated to FlySafe Sentinel continuous monitoring.
- 2026-04-23 Briefing registered for content-freshness monitoring.
Sudan Airspace — Frequently Asked Questions
Common search queries answered with current status, FIR codes, and source citations.
- Is Sudan airspace closed in 2026?
- HSSS (Khartoum FIR) has been operationally restricted since April 2023. currently commercial scheduled service to Khartoum (KRT, HSSS) remains suspended. Limited overflight corridors are available to selected operators under specific NOTAMs published by the Sudan Civil Aviation Authority. Status is verified weekly against EASA, FAA, and ICAO publications.
- Are there flights to Khartoum in 2026?
- Scheduled commercial passenger service to Khartoum (KRT) is suspended. Humanitarian and cargo rotations operate under specific authorizations. Passenger movement to and from Sudan is conducted via overland routes and via airports in neighboring states. Operational status is updated as Sudan Civil Aviation Authority NOTAMs are published.
- What FIR codes cover Sudan?
- Sudan is covered by HSSS (Khartoum FIR). Major airports include HSSS (Khartoum), HSSP (Port Sudan), HSND (Dongola), HSOB (El Obeid). HSSS is the four-letter ICAO designator referenced in NOTAMs and bulletins.
FlySafe provides automated computation of numerical indices from publicly available data. Indices are raw computational output and do not represent opinions, assessments, recommendations, or advice of any kind. They do not replace official NOTAMs, SIGMETs, AIPs, or communications from aviation authorities. Operators must independently verify current airspace status through official channels. See Terms of Service for full details.