Experts have issued stark warnings that Vladimir Putin could accidentally or deliberately shoot down a passenger plane flying through Europe following the incursion of Russian drones in Poland.
Airlines may review their risk assessments in Poland after the country was forced to shoot down drones in its airspace with the backing of military aircraft from NATO allies, the first time a member of the Western military alliance is known to have fired shots during Russia's war in Ukraine.
Following the incident, airlines operating flights in Poland may consider flying further west away from the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian borders to avoid conflict zones, said Matthew Borie, chief intelligence officer at aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions.
They may even restrict operations to daylight hours only and carry extra fuel to cope with potential diversions, he said, similar to steps taken in the Middle East.
The worst-case scenario for airlines flying near a conflict zone is a plane being struck - either accidentally or deliberately - by weaponry.
