JAPANESE airlines are continuing to fly their aircraft through a new air defence zone over disputed islands in the East China Sea without complying to identification rules.
The new Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) imposed by the Chinese defence ministry last Saturday requires aircraft to report a flight plan, maintain two-way radio communications and respond in a timely and accurate manner to identification enquiries, among other stipulations. Otherwise they could face emergency defensive measures.
An announcement on Japan Airlines’ (JAL) website confirmed that JAL would not submit its flight plans for flights through the affected areas as requested by the Japanese government. However, it said its decision would have “no impact on (the) safety of passengers onboard”.
Member airlines of the Scheduled Airlines Association of Japan, including All Nippon Airways, will also not be submitting flight plans.
Responses have been mixed across other Asian airlines.
In an email reply to TTG Asia e-Daily, a spokesperson from Singapore Airlines said: “Some of our flights fly over the mentioned airspace and we have been filing our flight plans with the appropriate authorities.
“We have also been keeping the Chinese authorities informed of our flights through the area since November 25,” she added.
According to local broadsheet The Straits Times, Philippine Airlines has 33 flights a week to South Korea that are affected by China’s ADIZ and the carrier “is observing the status quo”.
The ADIZ announcement has also drawn strong criticism from other countries such as the US and Australia.
