A large part of Airbus’s global fleet was grounded after the European airplane maker discovered a technical malfunction linked to solar radiation in its A320 family of aircraft. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced on Friday evening that it was temporarily pausing flights on certain Airbus planes after a JetBlue flight from Florida to Mexico had to make an emergency landing after a sudden loss of altitude. Media reports indicate that some 15 people were hospitalized after the incident. Airbus said in a statement late Friday that it had identified an issue with its workhorse A320 planes. “Intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls,” it said, adding that it had “identified a significant number” of affected aircraft. A number of airlines around Europe announced that they were affected, including Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines. Brussels Airlines said that none of its flights was impacted. Sara Ricci, communications chief for Airbus’s commercial aircraft division, said that some 6,000 aircraft were affected, but that for 85 percent of the impacted aircraft, it would be a “quick fix” to the planes’ software. “The vast majority will be back in the sky very soon,” Ricci said.

BRUSSELS — Iberia and TAP Air Portugal were banned from operating in Venezuela Thursday as tensions rise between the South American country and the United States. Venezuela’s National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) announced the “revocation of the concession” to operate in the country on Instagram, accusing the airlines of “joining in the acts of state terrorism promoted by the government of the U.S.” The decision was a response to the suspension of operations in Venezuela by Iberia and TAP, as well as Turkish Airlines, Colombia’s Avianca, Chile’s LATAM Airlines, and Brazil’s Gol, due to safety concerns as of Nov. 22. The carriers suspended operations after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned on Nov. 21 of a “worsening security situation and heightened military activity” in Venezuela. The Spanish authority AESA joined the warning on Nov. 24. U.S. President Donald Trump has moved forces close to Venezuela and there is growing worry that the U.S. may attack. The day after Spain’s warning, Venezuela’s INAC requested that the six airlines resume operations within 48 hours, threatening to suspend their traffic rights if they did not comply. They did not, so the Venezuelan authority followed through by banning them. “Iberia cannot operate in areas where there is a high safety risk. This is currently the case in Venezuela,” the Spanish airline, which is part of the IAG Group, told POLITICO. “Iberia hopes to resume flights to Venezuela as soon as possible, once full safety conditions are in place.”

LONDON — The U.K. government is not moving fast enough to slash planet-destroying emissions from aviation, former Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned.  Governments in Westminster and elsewhere must step up progress in developing cleaner alternatives to traditional jet fuel, according to a report today from Blair’s think tank, seen by POLITICO.  “Aviation is and will continue to be one of the world’s most hard-to-abate sectors. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandates in Europe and the U.K. are ramping up, but the new fuels needed are not developing fast enough to sufficiently reduce airline emissions,” the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) said, referring to policies designed to force faster production of cleaner fuel.  The U.K. has made the rollout of SAF central to hitting climate targets while expanding airport capacity.  It is the third intervention on U.K. net-zero policy from the former prime minister this year.  Earlier this month, the TBI urged Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to drop his pursuit of a clean power system by 2030 and focus instead on reducing domestic bills. This followed a report in April claiming the government’s approach to net zero was “doomed to fail” — something which caused annoyance at the top of the government and “pissed off” Labour campaigners then door-knocking ahead of local elections.  Aviation contributed seven percent of the U.K.’s annual greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, equivalent to around 29.6 million tons of CO2. The Climate Change Committee estimates that will rise to 11 percent by the end of the decade and 16 percent by 2035.  SAFs can be produced from oil and feedstocks and blended with traditional fuels to reduce emissions. The U.K. government’s SAF mandate targets its use in 40 percent of jet fuels by 2040 — up from two percent in 2025.  Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in January that U.K. investment in SAF production will help ensure planned airport expansion at Heathrow —  announced as the government desperately pursues economic growth — does not break legally-binding limits on emissions.  The TBI urged Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to drop his pursuit of a clean power system by 2030 and focus instead on reducing domestic bills. | Wiktor Szymanowicz/Getty Images The TBI said that, while it expects efficiency gains and initial SAF usage will have an impact on emissions, a “large share of flights, both in Europe and globally, will continue to run on conventional kerosene.” A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said the government was “seeing encouraging early signs towards meeting the SAF mandate.” They added: “Not backing SAF is not an option. It is a core part of the global drive to decarbonise aviation. SAF is already being produced and supplied at scale in the U.K., and we recently allocated a further £63 million of funding to further grow domestic production.” The TBI said carbon dioxide removal plans should be integrated into both jet fuel sales and sustainable aviation fuel mandates, placing “the financial responsibility of removals at the feet of those most able to pay it.” 

The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled Thursday that pets can be considered “baggage,” dealing a setback to pet owners seeking higher compensation for animals lost during international flights. The decision comes from a case in which a dog escaped from its pet-carrier at Buenos Aires airport in October 2019 and was never recovered. Its owner had sought €5,000 in compensation from Iberia airlines, which admitted the loss but argued that liability is limited under EU rules for checked baggage. The high court concluded that the 1999 Montreal Convention, which governs airline liability for baggage, applies to all items transported in the hold, including pets. While EU and Spanish laws recognize animals as sentient beings, the Luxembourg-based court emphasized that the Montreal Convention’s framework is focused on material compensation for lost or damaged items. Airlines are therefore not obligated to pay amounts exceeding the compensation caps set under the Montreal Convention unless passengers declare a “special interest” in the item, a mechanism designed for inanimate belongings. “The court finds that pets are not excluded from the concept of ‘baggage’. Even though the ordinary meaning of the word ‘baggage’ refers to objects, this alone does not lead to the conclusion that pets fall outside that concept,” the court said in a statement. Thursday’s ruling reaffirms the current framework, limiting airlines’ liability for lost pets unless passengers make a special declaration to raise coverage. For airlines operating in Europe, it offers legal certainty and shields them from larger claims. The court’s judgment will guide national courts in balancing international air transport law with EU animal welfare standards.

BRUSSELS — European airlines on Tuesday denounced the European Parliament’s transport committee adopting a text that refuses to make it harder for air passengers to get compensation for delayed flights. The committee text, adopted on Monday in a vote of 34 to 0 with two abstentions, also supports a push to allow people to bring hand luggage on board weighing up to 7 kilograms free of charge. The text represents the Parliament’s position on the draft reform of air passenger rights. The position is in stark contrast with proposals from the European Commission and the Council of the EU — which means that the three-way negotiations starting Wednesday are likely to be fraught. The committee’s position is angering the aviation industry, and on Tuesday, A4E— an airline lobby that includes Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Ryanair, and British Airways owner IAG — called Parliament’s text “unrealistic.” The current regulation grants air passengers compensation ranging from €250 to €600, depending on the length of the route, for all flights delayed by at least three hours. In 2013, the Commission proposed raising the delay threshold to five hours for all intra-EU flights or for flights of up 3,500 kilometers; nine hours for extra-EU flights of between 3,500 km and 6,000 km; and 12 hours for extra-EU flights over 6,000 km. The file was blocked for years, only moving when the Council in June suggested a threshold of four hours for flights of up to 3,500 km or within the EU, and six hours for flights over 3,500 km. But the Parliament balked at watering down compensation rights, and negotiators aim to press that position during the upcoming trilogues. The TRAN text also increases the minimum redress for a long delay or cancelation to €300. “We have several red lines to fight for … the first one is we are not going to accept [increasing the delay to] more than three hours … after which the passenger is entitled to receive a compensation,” said rapporteur Andrey Novakov of the European People’s Party “Parliament is very united on the question of the three hours,” Jan-Christoph Oetjen, the shadow rapporteur with Renew Europe, told reporters after the vote. “If you go up to four, you rip off the rights of two-thirds of the passengers that are entitled today. So for us, this is a no-go.” But A4E said: “Extending that window to five hours could prevent up to 40 percent of delays.” David Curmi, executive chairman of KM Malta Airlines, said: “The current three-hour delay rule … penalises airlines that do everything possible to avoid cancellations, when in fact, passengers are better served by a delayed flight than no flight at all.” Talks with EU countries won’t be easy. In June, the Council opened an unusual EU lawmaking procedure that will force negotiations to conclude within six to eight months, angering MEPs. “We are quite apart from the Council, mainly because there is distrust between our two institutions,” Novakov said, noting that the Parliament had voted on its first position on the proposal way back in 2014. “And after these 11 years, they choose a procedure that is limiting our time for negotiations, which I don’t consider to be a really spirit of cooperation and friendship,” Novakov added. The Parliament’s position also includes the right to carry on one piece of hand baggage weighing up to 7 kilograms for free, even on low-cost airlines, provided it remains “within the maximum dimensions of 100 cm (sum of length, width, and height).” Passengers would also be allowed to bring a small under-seat bag. The Council wants to allow only one free one bag with maximum dimensions of 40 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm that can fit under the front seat. The Commission supports that idea, and on Oct. 8 launched an infringement proceeding against Spain for fining airlines that charge for larger carry-on bags. Airlines are also opposed to the Parliament’s position. “Political calls to impose ‘free’ cabin bags are entirely out of sync with passenger preferences,” said A4E, alleging that passengers prefer cheaper fares and the option to purchase extra bags rather than paying higher fares for a ticket that includes carry-on baggage. The Parliament position also grants passengers the right to choose between a paper or digital boarding pass — a proposal in stark contrast with Ryanair’s recent announcement that all its passengers will have to show a digital ticket in the airline’s official app as of Nov. 12. This article has been updated with Tuesday’s reaction.

BRUSSELS — Passengers arriving in the EU from third countries on Sunday should brace for long waits as the bloc’s new automated registration Entry/Exit System procedure goes live. “Airlines feeding into the big hubs run on tight schedules, so even a few minutes delay at border control can throw off connections,” said Montserrat Barriga, director general of the European Regions Airline Association lobby. The system will be rolled out gradually over six months, meaning not all crossing points will use it immediately. Non-EU nationals will need to stop for a longer time before a passport control officer or use self-service kiosks at airports, ports and international rail terminals to provide fingerprints and have their photo taken. On subsequent internal Schengen border crossings, travellers will not need to repeat the registration, as their data on file will be used to record their entries and exits digitally. Biometric data is retained in the EES system for three years, which is extended to five if no exit has been recorded. The system is being introduced in all Schengen zone countries — EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland — EU members Ireland and Cyprus aren’t included. EES will replace the current system of manually stamping passports, which doesn’t allow for automatic detection of people who have exceeded their authorized stay of 90 days within 180 days. “The Entry/Exit System is the digital backbone of our new common European migration and asylum framework,” said Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. In the first six months, the two systems will coexist, meaning travelers may have to go through both passport and EES procedures. It becomes fully operational on April 10, when it will replace manual passport stamps.  That’s making national authorities nervous about possible chaos. Paris is bracing for more problems than other EU countries because France is the world’s leading tourist destination, with over 100 million visitors in 2024. “If tomorrow we had to pass all the passengers of a long-haul flight from China through EES, you’d triple the waiting time at the border,” said a French interior ministry official, speaking on the condition of being granted anonymity. Non-EU nationals will need to stop for a longer time before a passport control officer or use self-service kiosks at airports. | Thierry ROge/AFP via Getty Images “The additional formalities required by the EES will inevitably increase waiting times for travelers from third countries,” they added. The EU said the EES could be temporarily suspended during the first six months of implementation if wait times become too long or there are technical issues. “That’s why the phased rollout is so important, it gives airports and airlines some breathing space to adapt,” Barriga said. The Independent reported that only three countries — Estonia, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic — will have the EES in place for all arrivals and departures on Sunday. Germany announced that only Düsseldorf Airport would implement EES from Sunday, with Munich and Frankfurt airports following later. In Italy, Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa Airports will be using the system as of Monday. The Netherlands will implement EES at Rotterdam The Hague Airport on Oct. 27 and at Amsterdam Schiphol on Nov. 3. Spain will only use the system for one flight into Madrid on Sunday, before gradually spreading it. According to the French official, France will hire an additional 230 border guards at the 120 French entry points to the Schengen area to handle the extra workload as the system is gradually introduced. Some airports have disclosed details about their capabilities. Brussels Airport, for example, said it has 61 self-service EES registration kiosks. “It is important to underline that the management of border crossing points lies with the member states, not with airport operators,” said Federico Bonaudi, director of facilitation at airport lobby ACI Europe. For months, the lobby has expressed concerns about “the uncertainty about how the system will perform when all the member states connect to it” as of Sunday. “Thus far, only partial tests have been done,” Bonaudi said. “The persistent understaffing of border police in certain member states” is among the concerns raised by ACI Europe. In addition, “the communications campaign targeting the travelling public to raise their awareness has been launched late in our view.” Despite these issues, “at this stage, all the necessary legal safeguards and tools have been put in place to minimize disruptions and delays on the first day of operations and the days ensuing,” Bonaudi added. The Commission set up a preregistration app aimed at making border crossings faster. However, Sweden is the only country that has confirmed it will use the app. Victor Goury-Laffont contributed reporting.

BRUSSELS — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has a clear term for the reports of drones overflying Europe’s critical infrastructure in recent months: “Hybrid warfare.” “Something new and dangerous is happening in our skies,” she told the European Parliament on Wednesday. “In just the past two weeks, MiG fighters have violated Estonia’s airspace, and drones have flown over critical sites in Belgium, Poland, Romania, Denmark and Germany. Flights have been grounded, jets scrambled and countermeasures deployed to ensure the safety of our citizens. Make no mistake. This is part of a worrying pattern of growing threats.” The Parliament is preparing a resolution this week sounding the alarm about “Russian agents” using drones to disrupt air traffic. However, airport authorities say that drones are nothing new, and the rate of incidents has been rising for years. While Russia is suspected of being behind a lot of what’s going on, it’s very difficult to prove. In some cases — like when Russian war drones overflew Poland and Romania — the Kremlin’s fingerprints are easy to spot. But a lot of the recent incidents are much murkier. The head of a defense company producing missiles in Belgium reported a worrying increase in drone appearances. Unmanned aerial vehicles of unknown origin prompted the closure of airports in Denmark, Norway and Germany. “One incident may be a mistake. Two, a coincidence. But three, five, 10? This is a deliberate and targeted gray zone campaign against Europe. And Europe must respond,” von der Leyen said. NOTHING NEW Drone incursions over airports are not infrequent. “Encounters with drones have been occurring for quite a few years now, and they became more frequent in the [European] Union when the import of smaller consumer drones began to soar around 2010,” said Sander Starreveld, director of the SIG Aviation consultancy. According to data released by the EU Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA, in 2021, the number of incidents involving drones in European aviation soared from around 500 a year in 2015 to nearly 2,000 in 2019. EASA was unable to provide more recent data. Collecting information is not easy. “One incident may be a mistake. Two, a coincidence. But three, five, 10? This is a deliberate and targeted gray zone campaign against Europe. And Europe must respond,” Ursula von der Leyen said. | Thierry Monasse/Getty Images “Air traffic control systems are generally unable to detect small drones, as traditional radar is optimized for large aircraft with substantial radar-reflective surfaces, not lightweight carbon-fiber devices,” said Frédéric Deleau, vice president for Europe of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations. “Consequently, small UAVs often fall below radar detection thresholds or are mistaken for birds or clutter.” “To close this gap, several airports have deployed specialized drone-detection technologies, including radar, radio-frequency scanners, electro-optical cameras, and acoustic sensors,” Deleau said. But this may not be sufficient to identify all drones. “No single technology yet offers complete and reliable coverage,” he said. FROM ‘PILOTS’ TO CRIMINALS Not all drones have a Moscow link — although that may be the case in some instances. In the past, it was often recreational users. “Until recently, the main issue was that the average drone operator was often unaware of where drones were permitted to fly — and where they were not,” Starreveld said.  “You buy one, and the average user suddenly calls themselves a ‘pilot’ to friends and family,” he added. “Curiosity and carelessness led to early interactions between drones and commercial aircraft.” Once the threat became clear, European regulators established new requirements and awareness campaigns to deal with unauthorized drones flying near runways and critical infrastructure. Manufacturers also introduced software restrictions to prevent drones from flying near airports. With those precautions in place, the drone problem should have abated, which is why Starreveld is very worried about the recent surge in sightings near airports. “What is new in recent incidents is that drones are apparently being used deliberately to disrupt air traffic,” he said. “For airline pilots, that idea alone places these recent encounters in a completely different and deeply worrying category: criminal intent.” WHEN DRONES HIT PLANES The drones pose a serious safety issue. JACDEC, a firm that provides safety analyses for commercial aviation, has recorded 25 cases of planes colliding with drones across the world over the past decade — none of which resulted in casualties. “Drone activity around civilian airspaces is dangerous. No matter if it was intentional or not,” said Jan-Arwed Richter, CEO of JACDEC.  “Airplanes are built to withstand smaller object collisions such as seagulls, doves, or hailstones. But modern professional drones can be way larger, heavier and contain a lot of heavy metal such as batteries,” he added. In case of collision, “these objects can render an engine inoperative or can cause a hole in a wing due to the high impact forces resulting from the high velocity at which a commercial jet is flying.” IMPACT ON AIR TRANSPORT The presence of drones is enough to affect air transport, as airports will limit flights for safety reasons. “Drone incidents, no matter where or when they take place, undoubtedly have an impact both on airports and airlines, disrupting passengers and burdening the sector with unforeseen costs,” said Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director for the lobby Airlines for Europe. Because drones are small and hard to spot, some of these incidents are very difficult to verify. That was the case in December 2018, when London Gatwick Airport suffered a 33-hour disruption prompted by numerous drone sightings, which were never proven or photographed. Only between July and September 2024, SkeyDrone, a firm that monitors Brussels Airport’s airspace, detected 180 unauthorized drones close to runways and 84 in a more vulnerable “red zone.” However, none of the incidents caused a flight disruption. Munich Airport had to shut down on the night of Oct. 2 after several drones were spotted, causing 17 cancellations and 15 diversions. German air traffic control company DFS told POLITICO that the airport experienced eight other drone incursions in the first nine months of 2025. “Not every drone appearance is automatically a major security risk,” said Jan-Christoph Oetjen, a German member of the European Parliament from Renew Europe. “This topic is around for a while now and it got attention due to the geopolitical tensions,” he added.

BRUSSELS — Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary slammed the EU for failing to protect European airports and said unauthorized drones disrupting air traffic should be shot down. On Wednesday, European Union leaders are expected to discuss the introduction of a drone wall at the European Council informal meeting in Copenhagen, in the hopes of counteracting incursions by uncrewed aerial vehicles sent by Russia or other malicious actors. “Why aren’t we shooting these drones down?” O’Leary said in an interview with POLITICO when asked about the recent drone incursions at European airports. He questioned why this was not happening “if a Russian military aircraft overflies NATO airspace.” “Our operations were disrupted three weeks ago when drones overflew Poland and the Polish airports were closed for four hours,” said the airline CEO, referring to an incident attributed to Russia. “Last week, it was the Danish airports that were closed for about two hours,” he added, referring to the incursions at Copenhagen and Aalborg airports, for which local authorities have not yet identified a perpetrator. “It’s disruptive, and we’re calling for action.” Despite the new urgency to protect European airports, O’Leary believes that a drone wall is not the solution. Despite the new urgency to protect European airports, O’Leary believes that a drone wall is not the solution. | Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images “I don’t think a drone wall has any effect whatsoever. Do you think the Russians can’t actually launch a drone from inside Poland?” O’Leary said. Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius put this initiative at the core of the “Eastern Flank Watch,” a defense plan among EU eastern frontline countries to shield the entire continent from escalating security threats. Ahead of the informal summit in Copenhagen, where EU heads of state and government will discuss the defense initiative, the budget airline boss expressed skepticism about their plans and credibility. “I have no faith in European leaders sitting around drinking tea and eating biscuits,” he said.“If you can’t even protect overflights over France, what chance do we have of them protecting us against Russia?” he added in reference to the cancellation of routes overflying France during air traffic control strikes in the country. “I have no faith in von der Leyen. She’s useless and she should quit,” O’Leary said.

Russia failed to win back its seat on the United Nations aviation agency’s governing council Saturday after staunch opposition from the EU over the invasion of Ukraine. A Russian official immediately called for “a repeat round of voting” after the country fell short of the support needed to gain a seat on the International Civil Aviation Organization’s 36-member council. Countries booted Russia off the ICAO Council in 2022 over the illegal confiscation of leased airplanes during the war with Ukraine. The ICAO Council also blamed Russia for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Russian-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people. European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen had said ahead of Saturday’s vote that it was “unacceptable that a state which endangers the safety and security of air passengers and violates international rules should hold a seat on the organization’s governing body, tasked with upholding those very rules.”

BRUSSELS — Russia’s attempt to regain access to the governing body of the U.N.’s aviation agency despite being held responsible for shooting down a civilian airliner and stealing hundreds of airplanes is being met with fierce resistance from the European Union. The battle comes to a head on Tuesday, when the International Civil Aviation Organization opens its assembly in Montreal. This triennial gathering of the organization’s 193 member countries will discuss new targets for the sector and elect 36 states to serve on the council — ICAO’s governing body from which Russia was expelled in 2022. Back then, Moscow’s illegal confiscation of leased airplanes at the start of its war against Ukraine was enough to convince most governments not to elect Russia to the council. The Kremlin is now pushing its candidacy to be part of the body again, presenting itself as “the largest aviation power, with a history of civil aviation reaching back more than a hundred years.” The EU — which three years ago celebrated Moscow’s expulsion from the council — is on high alert. “It is unacceptable that a state which endangers the safety and security of air passengers and violates international rules should hold a seat on the organisation’s governing body, tasked with upholding those very rules,” said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the Commission’s spokesperson for transport matters. Dariusz Joński, a member of the European Parliament and part of a delegation of MEPs representing the EU at the assembly, said: “Russia’s candidacy is incompatible with the credibility of ICAO.” He underlined that Russia isn’t fit to be on the ICAO Council. “These responsibilities cannot be exercised by a state that systematically violates international law, undermines international security, and disregards the very principles on which ICAO was founded,” Joński added. “We call on all member states to send a clear signal: the international community will not reward aggression, lawlessness, or disregard for civil aviation safety with a seat on the Council,” said the Polish parliamentarian from the center-right European People’s Party. Joński is echoed by his colleague Johan Danielsson of the Socialists and Democrats. “The situation has not improved since 2022, when they were voted out,” he said. “There are simply no arguments for letting them back in,” he added, noting that “given Russia’s ongoing war and repeated violations of airspace, it would be almost ironic if they were rewarded with a seat on the ICAO Council.” Three years ago, Russia received 80 votes, six fewer than what was needed to remain on the council. INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE For a country that controls the largest airspace in the world, a seat on the ICAO Council is as much about prestige as about doing aviation business, and there are plenty of reasons why Moscow is making this push as it tries to regain the diplomatic initiative after years of setbacks. “First, to be voted off was very embarrassing for Russia,” said Andrew Charlton, managing director of the Aviation Advocacy consultancy. “They no doubt want to reverse that ‘shame.’” In addition, a potential return to the ICAO Council “will be the start of Russia trying to legitimize its actions to change the state of registry of the leased aircraft that were trapped in Russia when the airspace was closed” at the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, he added. There are also more strategic goals that could help the Kremlin and its allies create the perception that they have a tailwind. “In pure geopolitical terms, it would be seen as accepting the invasion of Ukraine as ‘part of the way the world works,’” Charlton said. “Finally, it will strengthen the existence of, and relevance of the BRICS grouping as a bloc with power,” he added, referring to the developing country bloc led by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Charles Stotler, director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi, underlined that Russia needs the backing of a majority of member countries to get on to the council. “The council has three tiers, each elected in three separate votes,” Stotler said, noting the first tier is composed of countries that “are considered to be of ‘chief importance to air transport.’” Russia has traditionally been part of this group. The second tier is made of countries that make large contributions to the provision of air navigation facilities, and the third tier is chosen for equitable geographic distribution. “At the last assembly, Western states lobbied against Russia’s inclusion,” Stotler said, referring to the election for the first tier in 2022. After being defeated, “Russia could have put itself forward for election as a tier two or three state but did not, probably because the vote would have been similar, and even if elected into tiers two or three, it would have been a step down in prestige.” Now, Moscow wants its top-tier seat back, even if it means clashing with the current council to get there. SHOOTING DOWN MH17 In May, the ICAO Council blamed Russia for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. It found that Russia had failed to “refrain from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight.”  On July 17, 2014, the airliner carrying 298 people — two-thirds of whom were Dutch nationals — from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was hit by a surface-to-air missile over Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine, leaving no survivors. “That was the first time in the history of ICAO that the council reached a decision on the merits,” Stotler said. Russia still might have been condemned even it was still on the council, as members of the body have no veto power. Russia appealed the decision on Sept. 18, bringing the case to the International Court of Justice. “We are aware of media reports that Russia is appealing their exclusion from the ICAO Council with the ICJ. We await further communication from the Court on this topic, and will study the Russian objections,” said Richard Funnekotter, spokesperson of the Dutch infrastructure ministry. “In May, the ICAO Council’s decided that ‘the Russian Federation is responsible for the downing of Flight MH17 and has thus violated the Convention on International Civil Aviation.’ That has not changed,” he added. This article has been updated.