Prohibition Against Certain Flights in the Kabul Flight Information Region (FIR) (OAKX)

This action prohibits certain flight operations in the Kabul Flight Information Region (FIR) (OAKX) at altitudes below Flight Level (FL) 320 by all: U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier. The FAA finds this action necessary to address hazards to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations due to the risk posed by violent extremist and militant activity and the lack of adequate risk mitigation capabilities to counter such activity. However, the FAA has determined that U.S. civil overflights of the Kabul FIR (OAKX) at altitudes at and above FL320 may resume due to diminished risks to U.S. civil aviation operations at those altitudes. This action also provides information regarding the approval and exemption processes for this Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR), consistent with other recently published flight prohibition SFARs.