Airline pilots were caught off guard by a Chinese live-fire warning near Australia, highlighting the increasing need for airlines to adapt quickly to geopolitical disruptions and military hazards. The incident began when a Virgin Australia pilot intercepted a Chinese navy broadcast on the 121.5 MHz emergency radio channel, alerting air traffic control to the live-fire drill in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.

This was China's first such exercise in the area, and it raised tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly given China's assertive posture near Taiwan.

Air traffic control subsequently issued hazard alerts to nearby aircraft, including flights operated by Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand, prompting changes in flight paths for 49 flights on the same day.

The Chinese warships conducting the drills were operating outside Australia's 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone, where live-fire exercises are common, but the brief notice given by China was deemed insufficient by Australia and New Zealand.

Typically, pilots receive advance warnings of military exercises through Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), which are usually filed at least 24 hours in advance.

The lack of a NOTAM for this exercise led to increased workload for pilots and air traffic control, as they had to manage flight rerouting with minimal notice.

Despite China's assertion that its warnings complied with international law, both Australia and New Zealand criticized the notification process as falling short of best practices.

The incident underscores the risks associated with live-fire exercises, as highlighted by past incidents involving civilian aircraft being shot down by military assets.

Reuters