The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council is in agreement to proceed with the establishment of the Doha Flight Information Region (FIR) on the basis of a phased approach as presented in the Council's report, the Qatar Ministry of Transport said Friday.
Qatar has been campaigning to control its own airspace by establishing the Doha FIR – a process that would involve cutting the existing OBBB/Bahrain FIR in half.
Bahrain FIR covers a large area of the western side of the Gulf, from the UAE’s western extremity in the south to near Kuwait in the north.
Existing Bahrain FIR.
One of the prime reason for the campaign was , the three-and-a-half-year dispute, which only ended in January this year, effectively closed the airspace of the neighbouring countries to Qatari aircraft.
That meant that Qatar Airways’ flights had to operate in and out of Doha using a narrow corridor across the Gulf to and from Iranian airspace.
The ICAO Council's decision, which approved the dimensions of the Doha FIR/SRR, including revised dimensions of the Bahrain FIR/SRR, will be established in two phases ;
Phase One of the Doha FIR covers all the economic waters and land of the State of Qatar in addition to the international waters east of Qatar till the borders of the United Arab Emirates to an unlimited altitude.
The airspace above the international waters north of the State of Qatar until the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be controlled to an altitude of 24,500 feet above sea level.
Proposed DOHA FIR , that will be carved out of Bahrain FIR.
Qatar was determined after the Blockade ! In April 2020, however, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) had signed a contract with Independent Business Group Sweden (IBG).
This included the development of the country’s air navigation system and increasing the efficiency of Qatar’s navigational devices, as well as training and developing the skills of controllers on how to deal with the new equipment.
Aviation infrastructure specialist, IBG, was also engaged to increase the capacity and throughput of Hamad International Airport and its predecessor, Doha International Airport, to allow for growth of Qatar Airways and to prepare the country for the increase in traffic anticipated for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
ICAO Council Agrees on Establishment of Doha FIR
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That contract was signed during the diplomatic dispute and Blockade between Qatar and its neighbours, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, as well as Egypt.
The Council agreed that within two years, upon successful implementation of the first phase, the second phase shall see all areas of the Doha FIR expanded to an unlimited altitude.
The Council also encouraged the States concerned to progress the proposal for amendment of the regional air navigation plans (MID ANP) and the establishment of Doha FIR based on the importance of good relations and collaboration between States to ensure seamless air services with a high level of safety and quality.
The State of Qatar initiated its endeavor to achieve a Doha FIR/SRR back in 2018 until the issuance of the ICAO decision C-DEC223/9 where the Doha FIR/SRR proposal was agreed in principle.
Qatari Minister of Transport HE Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti appreciated the efforts of the ICAO Council in this regard and also thanked the stance of the Member States that approved the proposal of Qatar.
