The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned US airlines and pilots to exercise caution over a large stretch of airspace over the Pacific Ocean near Central and South America due to military activity and possible interference with satellite navigation.
In a series of security notices issued this Fridaythe FAA said: “Potential risks to aircraft exist at all altitudes, including during overflight and the arrival and departure phases of flights.”
The institution cited military operations and interference with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
These warnings cover airspace over the Pacific near western Mexico, as well as Central America, northern South America and a portion of oceanic airspace controlled by the United States.
The notices went into effect Friday afternoon and are scheduled to remain in effect for 60 days, meaning at least March 17.
The FAA described the risk as GNSS interference, a category of satellite navigation disruption that can include signal jamming or spoofing, but did not specify the exact source or methods.
An FAA spokesperson told CNN that the advisories were not issued at the request of the US military.
Hours after the FFA notices were released, the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation of the Government of Mexico (SICT) said in a statement that the measure does not imply operational restrictions for aviation in Mexican territory.
“It is important to specify that this NOTAM (notice for aviators) does not constitute a prohibition, but rather a precautionary measure aimed at reinforcing attention and care in air operations within certain regions of airspace. There are no operational implications or restrictions for Mexico, nor for Mexican airlines or operators,” said the SICT.
“The NOTAM was issued exclusively for civil operators of the United States, including its airlines and pilots, since said authority only has jurisdiction to issue provisions applicable to operators from its country,” he added.
The-CNN-Wire
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Alexandra Skores and Mauricio Torres contributed to this report.
