Saudi News Channel Shows Simulated Downing of a Civilian Jet
Saudi-owned TV news network Al Arabiya just broadcast a simulation showing what would happen, according to the network, if a Qatar Airways jet flew into Saudi Arabian airspace. The graphic animation shows a civilian jet being shot down by a missile. In an age when passenger aircraft have been turned into weapons — and when they have indeed been shot down by missiles, as happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine in 2014 — that is, to say the least, unsettling.
Since the beginning of the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors on June 5, all Qatari-registered aircraft have been barred from the airspaces of neighboring countries. Qatar Airways cannot take off or land there or transit through their airspaces, making flight times longer as aircraft need to deviate around prohibited areas.
It is safe to assume that the Royal Saudi Air Force would intercept any Qatari aircraft violating the airspace ban, but the Al Arabiya graphic goes further.
Watch the video below:
The simulation shows a commercial jet being intercepted and then another one apparently being shot down, with a voiceover saying that "according to international law, a state that bans flights from entering its airspace has the right to deal with the violating plane in any way it wishes."
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations body governing aviation, has issued a directive to all Gulf states, asking them to abide by the international treaties they have signed which mandate airspace openness.
While Saudi Arabia is not a party to the transit agreement treaty, which permits overflight, it has signed the Chicago Convention — which states in Article 9 that while airspace can be closed for exceptional circumstances, or during periods of emergencies, a country cannot discriminate against a specific nationality or origin of an aircraft.
See the extract below:
Since the Gulf crisis began, Saudi Arabia has ignored this part of the Chicago Convention, and Qatar Airways has been avoiding Saudi airspace, as well as other regions in the Middle East.
It's worth highlighting that all commercial flights around the world file flight plans with aviation authorities before departure, and routes are outlined by airline operation teams that study weather, access, airways, flight information regions, traffic and more. For this reason, it is almost impossible that a Qatar Airways aircraft would suddenly find itself, barring a malfunction, in an airspace it should not be in. Passengers need not be alarmed.
Dubai-based Al Arabiya's animation shows first a fighter jet forcing a Qatar Airways jet to land and its crew being detained, while the narrating voice says "the option in this case is to deploy a fighter jet that forces the aircraft to land, and then the flight crew could be prosecuted on several charges."
The animation then shows another aircraft, this time an unmarked passenger plane, being chased by the same fighter jet, which appears to shoot a missile in the passenger plane's direction. The narration says "international law also permits states to shoot down any aircraft that violates a state's airspace, classing it as a legitimate target, especially if flying over a military area."
The report is, in fact, full of inaccuracies. For starters, it is not exactly true that a country has the "right to deal with the violating plane in any way it wishes." While there is no rule in international law specifying directly what is and what is not acceptable in dealing with a seemingly rogue civilian aircraft, the prevalent opinion of international law scholars is that a shootdown is warranted only in cases where the aircraft poses a clear, immediate danger. These conditions would very likely not be met in case of a stray, or even intentional, overflight of Saudi airspace by a Qatar Airways passenger plane.
Secondly, even a casual observer of aviation would notice some glaring mistakes in the animation. The fighter jet is clearly a Russian-made Su-30 Flanker, which the Saudis most definitely do not have, and neither does any Gulf country. The Qatari Airbus A320 sports some noticeably huge engines — a dead giveaway of the Airbus A320neo, which Qatar Airways did order, but has cancelled. Finally, I couldn't help but wonder if the reason for the interception in the first place was because the Qatar Airways aircraft was cruising with its landing gear down....
Bottom Line
While this extraordinary video is full of inaccuracies, it's important to stress to passengers that flying around the Gulf region is as safe as ever, and no Qatar Airways jet will just casually end up in Saudi airspace. Following a recent ICAO hearing in Montreal, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have started to ease airspace restrictions for Qatar Airways aircraft, opening up a flight information region (FIR) to Qatari jets, which a Qatar Airways flight from Muscat (MCT) to Doha (DOH) used recently:
What are your thoughts on the interception simulation broadcast on international TV? Tell us below.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.