The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed it was aware of the flight reversing course after a NOTAM was issued advising pilots of space activity that could pose a hazard to aviation en route to Antarctica. A NOTAM is an official notice used to alert pilots and aircraft operators to hazards or other information that could affect a flight.
The CAA said the space activity was notified to it by the Russian Air Traffic Management Corporation, prompting the issuance of the NOTAM. The authority did not provide further detail about the nature of the space activity in its response.
A CAA spokesperson said the notice was intended to give operators the information they needed to plan accordingly. “NOTAMs are issued to alert aircraft operators about potential hazards to allow them to make operational decisions,” the spokesperson said. “Airlines and pilots are responsible for taking appropriate action in response to NOTAMs, including any decisions around flight planning.”
The spokesperson said the measures were designed to protect aircraft operating in international airspace. “These measures are put in place to support the continued safety and security of aircraft operating in international airspace,” the spokesperson said.
Questions submitted to the CAA seeking confirmation of what the reported space activity involved, a copy of the relevant NOTAM, and clarification of whether any other flights were affected were not answered in the authority’s response.
The CAA said the safeguards in place were meant to support the continued safety of aircraft in international airspace, framing the decision to turn the flight around as a precautionary response to the notified hazard rather than an operational failure.
The CAA has not indicated whether additional information about the space activity will be released or whether further flights on the Christchurch to Antarctica route face similar advisories.
