European civil aviation concerned about Russian drones over Poland

On Wednesday morning, Poland, with the support of NATO allies' military aircraft, shot down Russian drones in its airspace. This was the first known case of an Alliance member country opening fire during Russia's war against Ukraine.

Due to the incident, Warsaw's Chopin and Modlin airports, as well as airports in Rzeszów and Lublin, were temporarily suspended. They later resumed operations.

Analysts note that the incident in Poland raises concerns about the risks to airlines and their passengers.

Due to the closure of airspace in Ukraine and Russia, as well as in a number of regions in the Middle East and Africa, airlines are already facing higher fuel costs, limited routes, and flight delays.

Against the backdrop of the incident, shares in major European airlines, including British Airways, easyJet, Lufthansa, and Ryanair, fell.

Airlines and insurers are monitoring risks

Experts say airlines are increasingly concerned about incursions into civilian airspace.

"This is a wake-up call, I think, for everyone in Europe that can expect this more often," the agency quotes an expert.

Two sources in the aviation insurance market told Reuters that the market is closely monitoring events in Poland and Qatar.

"If the market got a sense either that Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace were becoming consistent and deliberate, or that Israeli airstrikes in the Middle East were likely to continue, it would pose serious questions for insurers," the source explains.

Worst-case scenario

According to the expert, airlines may review their risk assessments in Poland and consider routes further west, slightly further from the borders with Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, with additional fuel for possible diversions.

"The worst-case scenario for airlines flying near a conflict zone is a plane being struck — either accidentally or deliberately — by weaponry," he said. According to the agency's interlocutor, since 2001, six commercial aircraft have been accidentally shot down, and three more have been on the verge of disaster.

Russian drones in Poland

On September 10, a Russian attack with strike drones on Ukraine affected the territory of Poland, a NATO member, for the first time. At least 19 Russian drones flew into Poland, 4 of which were shot down.

Due to the massive Russian attack and the potential danger to the country, airports in Warsaw, Lublin, and Rzeszów were temporarily suspended.

After the incident, Poland asked NATO to invoke Article 4 of the Treaty. In response, the Alliance activated the article, which allows member states to discuss the situation in the North Atlantic Council.

For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is ready to provide Poland with all available data on the drone incursion and to assist in the development of an early warning and air defense system.

Read about the Russian drone attack on Poland in RBC-Ukraine's report.