A prohibited airspace is an area (volume) of airspace within which flight of aircraft is not allowed, usually due to security concerns. It is one of many types of special use airspace designations and is depicted on aeronautical charts with the letter "P" followed by a serial number. It differs from restricted airspace in that entry is typically forbidden at all times from all aircraft and is not subject to clearance from ATC or the airspace's controlling body.
According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): "Restricted Areas contain airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the earth within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited. Such areas are established for security or other reasons associated with the national welfare. These areas are published in the Federal Register and are depicted on aeronautical charts."
Some prohibited airspace may be supplemented via NOTAMs. For example, Prohibited Area 40 (P-40) and Restricted Area 4009 (R4009) often have additional restricted airspace added via a NOTAM when the president of the United States visits Camp David in Maryland, while normally the airspace outside of P-40 and R4009 is not prohibited/restricted.
Violating prohibited airspace established for national security purposes may result in military interception and/or the possibility of an attack upon the violating aircraft, or if this is avoided then large fines and jail time are often incurred. Aircraft violating or about to violate prohibited airspace are often warned beforehand on 121.5 MHz, the emergency frequency for aircraft.
List of prohibited airspaces Australia Australia currently has no prohibited airspaces.[Designated Airspace Handbook]. Airservices Australia. Retrieved April 29, 2019 Previously, The Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility near Alice Springs was designated as a permanent no-fly zone. This airspace has since been changed to a restricted area (RA3).
China Tiananmen Square All flights in and out of Taiwan by Taiwanese air carriers (only allowed to fly over Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau), unless the aircraft stops over at a Chinese airport. New China-US airline routes are barred from using Russian airspace as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Cuba Unscheduled foreign aircraft are prohibited from entering or encroaching Cuban airspace including disputed international water zones except when permission has been explicitly given by the Cuban Government. The Cuban military has been known to shoot down and destroy unauthorised aircraft without warning including a 1996 incident in which two U.S.-registered aircraft were shot down and destroyed by Cuban Air Force MiGs.Staff writer (February 24, 1996). "Civilian U.S. Planes Shot Down Near Cuba". CNN. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
Finland Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant, Loviisa Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant, Eurajoki Kilpilahti oil refinery, Porvoo Munkkiniemi, Helsinki Kruununhaka, Helsinki Meilahti, Helsinki Luonnonmaa, Naantali Hanhikivi Nuclear Power Plant, Pyhäjoki
France All traffic is prohibited above Paris. Exceptions include military aircraft and civil aeroplanes flying no lower than . Authorisations are either given by the Ministry of Defence, for military aircraft, or by the Paris Police Prefecture and the Directorate General for Civil Aviation for civil ones. Moreover, the flying of helicopters within the limits of Paris (designated the Boulevard Périphérique) is also forbidden. Special authorisation can be granted by the Prefecture of Police for helicopters undertaking precise missions such as police air-surveillance, air ambulances but also transport of high-profile personalities. Although not within Paris boundaries, the business district of La Défense has been placed under prohibited airspace in response to 9/11.
Greece All traffic is prohibited above the Parthenon below . This includes aircraft departing from Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport.
Hungary Budapest (Inner city and Buda Hills) Hungarian Parliament Building, including the heavily protected Holy Crown of Hungary Buda Castle, including Sándor Palace (home to the president and his family) Hungarian National Bank HQ Hungarian National Museum Saint Stephen's Basilica, including the heavily protected Holy Right, the right hand of Saint Stephen (the founder of Hungary) Atomic bunker F4 Research reactor of the MTA Central Physical Research Institute in Buda Hills Paks (area around Paks Nuclear Power Plant) Bases of the Hungarian Homeland Defence Forces through the country (including Kecskemét Air Base, Pápa Air Base, Szolnok Air Base) National parks and holiday resorts (including Lake Balaton and Hortobágy National Park)
India
The Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi. Parliament Building, prime minister's residence, and other important centres in New Delhi. The airspace around many Defence and Indian Air Force bases are restricted, although new proposals are suggesting opening them for civilian aircraft. Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati state of Andhra Pradesh. Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram district state of Kerala. The Taj Mahal, Agra, State of Uttar Pradesh, India The Tower of Silence, Mumbai. Mathura Refinery Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Sriharikota Space Station in Nellore district state of Andhra Pradesh. A 10-km radius no-fly zone over Kalpakkam nuclear installation, Tamil Nadu. All flight activity to over the Kalpakkam area is prohibited.Official order by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India) dated 16 December 2008 (http://dgca.nic.in/aic/aic14_2008.pdf). Retrieved 25 October 2011. Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, India
Iran Shahid Modarres missile base at Bidganeh near Malard, Tehran Ireland Portlaoise Prison Limerick Prison Curragh Camp Phoenix Park Mountjoy Prison
Israel Negev Nuclear Research Center Sdot Micha Airbase Temple Mount
Due to the Arab–Israeli conflict, Israeli aircraft are not allowed to fly over numerous countries. These include: Algeria Bangladesh Indonesia Iran Iraq Lebanon Libya Malaysia Mali Mauritania Niger Pakistan Syria Tunisia Yemen
Pakistan Islamabad – The no-fly zone is specifically along Constitution Avenue in North-east Islamabad, where many important government buildings are located: The Parliament Building The Presidency (Residence of the President) The Prime Minister's Residence The Prime Minister's Secretariat The Supreme Court Kahuta Research Laboratories, Pakistan's main facility for the development of nuclear weapons Khushab Nuclear Complex
Peru Machu Picchu
Poland Temporary flight restrictions over any publicly announced event in a stadium (capacity) or plaza (expected attendance) exceeds 20,000 people by a radius of 5 nautical miles (9.2km) under a height of 5,000 feet (1.5km). An additional strict drone usage restriction is in place for PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, not permitting usage within 500 metres of the stadium. Non-compliance for both private and corporation actors starts with a minimum fine of 10,000 PLN (2339 EUR in August 2024)
Russia
Many flights are being regularly routed through the outer regions of this airspace due to the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Since October 25, 2015, Ukrainian aircraft have been prohibited from entering Russian airspace.
After the Western countries banned Russian planes from its skies following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, aircraft registered in or operated by Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and the European Union member states are banned from using Russian airspace.
On October 30, 2022, Cathay Pacific, a Hong Kong airline, announced that it would resume using Russian airspace on some flights such as the "polar route" from New York to Hong Kong, which had stopped following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian aircraft are not allowed to fly over numerous countries. These include:
Andorra Australia Canada European Union member states; Austria Belgium Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Greenland Iceland Japan Liechtenstein New Zealand Norway San Marino Singapore South Korea Switzerland Taiwan United Kingdom United States
Saudi Arabia Great Mosque of Mecca Prophet's Mosque
South Korea Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
Besides, North Korean aircraft must obtain special approval from South Korean authorities before entering its airspace, and must not enter directly above the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
Sri Lanka According to Air Navigation (Air Defence) Regulation 1 (2007), airspace over the territory and territorial waters of Sri Lanka (except Ruhuna Open Skies Area) are declared an air defence identification zone (ADIZ) with prohibited areas and restricted areas within it. No aircraft may operate in prohibited or restricted areas without valid air defence clearance (ADC) from the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).
Prohibited areas are, Colombo City centering the Parliament – Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery () Orugodawatta Petroleum storage tanks. () Kolonnawa Petroleum storage complex ()
Restricted areas are, Sri Lanka Air Force bases SLAF Anuradhapura, SLAF Hingurakgoda, SLAF Vavuniya, SLAF Palaly and SLAF Sigiriya () Jaffna town () Trincomalee harbour () SLAF China Bay () The garrison town of Diyatalawa () Temple of the Tooth, Kandy (; earlier )
Taiwan The area around the Presidential Hall (總統府) and Taipei 101, both located in Taipei. Parts of the Taiwan Strait The area around the nuclear power plants in Taiwan.
Besides, Mainland China-registered aircraft bearing the Chinese national flag are also prohibited from entering Taiwanese airspace.
Turkey İmralı island
Ukraine Since October 25, 2015 all traffic by Russian aircraft has been prohibited. As the result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the civilian flights flying over Ukraine and flights to the Ukrainian cities are suspended for the time being.
United Kingdom Sellafield Nuclear Site, Cumbria Winfrith nuclear research site Atomic Energy Research Establishment Harwell has now been downgraded – see UK CAA RNAD Coulport / HMNB Clyde Faslane Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment Buckingham Palace Windsor CastleThe Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Windsor Castle) (No. 2) Regulations 2018 Houses of Parliament Purple Corridor Downing Street
United States The FAA issues Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) in the form of a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) which are effective for the duration of an event, typically a few days or weeks. TFRs are issued for VIP movement such as the president's travels outside Washington, D.C., surface-based hazards to flight such as toxic gas spills or volcanic eruptions, air-shows, military security, and special events including political ones like national party conventions. TFRs have also been issued to ensure a safe environment for firefighting operations in the case of wildfires and for other reasons as necessary. A TFR was quickly issued around the crash site of Cory Lidle's airplane in New York City. Later, a broader TFR was issued to require pilots traveling over the East River to obtain air traffic control clearance.
Permanent prohibited areas Thurmont, Maryland, site of Presidential retreat Camp David (Prohibited Area 40 or P-40) Amarillo, Texas, Pantex nuclear assembly plant (P-47) Bush Ranch near Crawford, Texas (P-49) Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia (P-50) Naval Base Kitsap, Washington (P-51)