New Domestic Coastal Air Routes Pose Risks; Ministry of Transportation: Unacceptable!

▲ Diagram of the newly announced M503 and other air routes by the mainland authorities. (Photo / Provided by the Civil Aeronautics Administration)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Comprehensive reporting

On the morning of January 12, the Chinese mainland issued a flight notice announcing the establishment of new air routes designated as M503, W121, W122, and W123 along its southeastern coast. These new routes are scheduled to take effect at midnight Taipei time on March 5, 2015. The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) under the Ministry of Transportation stated that the Chinese mainland’s unilateral announcement of routes such as M503, without prior consensus through cross-strait communication, is unacceptable.

In accordance with the spirit of the International Civil Aviation Convention, any proposed new air routes that may affect neighboring regions should first undergo relevant coordination. Under this established civil aviation practice, the mainland and our side recently engaged in communication to exchange views on the technical aspects of route establishment and air traffic control. Although the newly established M503 route by the mainland is located within the Shanghai Flight Information Region, it is very close to the boundary of the Taipei Flight Information Region. Moreover, the W121, W122, and W123 routes are highly likely to impact our W6, W8, and W2 routes, which are used for flights to and from Kinmen and Matsu. In the event of abnormal conditions such as severe weather, this could pose aviation safety risks. Additionally, during recent communications, the mainland never mentioned the three newly established routes. Therefore, the Ministry of Transportation stated that the Chinese mainland should continue discussions with us in line with the spirit of the International Civil Aviation Convention.