British Flights Encounter “Highly Hazardous Russian Jamming,” According to Report

Several airlines including British Airways, Ryanair, and EasyJet have been affected by extensive jamming, suspected to have been carried out by Russia. According to a report in *The Sun*, these electronic attacks have disrupted satellite navigation (satnav) systems, making it difficult for aircraft to navigate their routes. The impact is such that pilots have struggled to accurately determine their whereabouts in the air, at times leading to instances where planes have had to take evasive action to avoid nonexistent obstacles.

The situation has affected a significant number of flights, with thousands of Ryanair and Wizz Air flights experiencing satnav issues in the Baltic region by the end of March. Furthermore, British Airways, Jet2, and EasyJet have also been affected by these attacks. Luc Tytgat, the head of EASA, expressed concerns about the safety risks posed by the increasing number of attacks on these systems, which have risen from fewer than 50 a week last year to over 350 a week last month.

Ryanair indicated that they switch to alternate systems if location systems such as GPS are not functioning, while EasyJet stated that they have procedures in place to mitigate against GPS issues. Nevertheless, Glenn Bradley from the UK Civil Aviation Authority reassured that flying remains one of the safest forms of travel, emphasizing that GPS jamming does not directly impact the navigation of an aircraft and does not necessarily indicate deliberate jamming. He highlighted that operators have measures in place to ensure safe operations, and that coordination among aviation regulators, airlines, and aircraft manufacturers is ongoing to address and reduce the risks posed by jamming.

In summary, the electronic attacks on satellite navigation systems have not only affected the operational efficiency of several airlines but have also raised concerns about the safety risks posed by the increasing frequency of jams. However, efforts are being made to mitigate these risks and ensure the continued safe operation of flights.