FAA Warns of Military Activity Over Latin American Pacific Airspace

The US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a series of Notices to Airmen warning US operators of potentially hazardous conditions linked to military activity and Global Navigation Satellite System interference over the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Latin America. The advisories, issued on January 16, are valid through March 17, 2026, and apply to a wide swath of oceanic and coastal airspace used by international commercial and business aviation traffic.

According to the FAA, the warnings cover multiple Flight Information Regions spanning Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. These include the Mexico FIR, the Mazatlán Oceanic FIR, the Central America FIR, the Panama FIR, the Bogotá FIR, and the Guayaquil FIR. In addition, the NOTAMs also reference a no-FIR area over the eastern Pacific Ocean, where airspace is not assigned to a specific national authority but is routinely transited by long-haul and regional flights.

The FAA cautioned that military activities in these areas may create unpredictable operational environments, while GNSS interference could degrade the accuracy or availability of satellite-based navigation systems. Such disruptions can affect flight management systems, navigation performance, and situational awareness, particularly over oceanic regions where ground-based navigation aids are limited or unavailable.

Despite the scope of the warnings, the FAA stressed that the NOTAMs are advisory in nature and do not impose airspace restrictions or flight bans. To date, the notices have not resulted in changes to scheduled commercial operations in the affected regions. Airlines and operators continue to overfly the airspace, while incorporating standard risk mitigation measures such as enhanced monitoring of navigation systems and contingency planning.

The advisories follow a familiar pattern established by previous FAA warnings issued across the Americas in recent years. In several cases, the agency has highlighted potential risks tied to military exercises, regional security developments, or electronic interference, particularly in oceanic or remote airspace where disruptions may be harder to detect and manage.

Notably, the FAA’s action has not been mirrored by other major aviation safety regulators. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, for example, has not issued a corresponding advisory for the Pacific regions cited in the US notices. EASA currently maintains an active conflict zone advisory only for Venezuela and surrounding airspace, reflecting a more limited geographic focus.

Industry observers note that such FAA advisories are increasingly common as geopolitical tensions and electronic warfare capabilities expand beyond traditional conflict zones. While they rarely lead to immediate operational changes, they underscore the growing importance of navigation resilience, pilot training, and multi-layered risk assessment for flights operating over international waters and sensitive regions.

For now, operators flying across the Latin American Pacific are expected to continue normal operations while remaining alert to potential navigation anomalies and evolving military activity throughout the validity period of the FAA warnings.

Related News: https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/airline-finance/

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com