Why Somalia Has Air Traffic Control for the First Time Since the 1990s

Air traffic control is a critical element of commercial air travel. Every day, there are thousands of metal tubes flying through the air at over 500 miles per hour. These flights need to be managed closely so that each airliner can depart and arrive safely at its destination. It is difficult to imagine anywhere in the world without the ability to monitor its own airspace properly. Yet, Somalia hasn’t had that capability for the past 30 years. Until today.

The International Air Transport Association, the global airline trade association, confirmed that Somalia’s airspace had been reclassified as Class A. Class A airspace starts at 18,000 feet and extends up to 60,000 feet, a space primarily intended for large passenger and cargo planes. Somali airspace lost this classification in 1991, primarily due to the start of the Somali Civil War.

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