The downing of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17

Why fly across a warzone area?

Frankly speaking the airspace MH17 was flying in when it was shot down was not restricted, but airlines had been warned about the potential dangers. 

The Geneva-based group said in a statement: ‘Based on the information currently available, it is believed that the airspace that the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions.’

Ukrainian authorities had barred aircraft from ground level to 32,000 feet but the downed aircraft was cruising at 33,000 feet, still within range of ground-to-air missiles, when it was hit.

Speculation:

The doomed Flight MH17 had taken a short-cut across the disputed region of eastern Ukraine tosave fuel.

As relatives gathered at airports for news of missing loved ones, it emerged that airlines had twice been warned about the risk of flying over an area where two Ukrainian military aircraft had already been shot down this week.

In April, the International Civil Aviation Organisation advised carriers to consider alternative routes after outlining ‘the possible existence of serious risks to the safety of international civil
flights’.

On Monday, Eurocontrol – the body that coordinates all traffic across European airspace – sent out an official note to airmen,known as a Notam, repeating the warning and saying it ‘strongly
advises’ avoiding the airspace.

But many carriers continued to use the route because it was shorter and therefore cheaper.Earlier on Thursday, air accident investigators were planning to inspect the proposed flight plan lodged by pilots on board Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 to see if they flew over a warzone as a cost-cutting measure.