MH17 tragedy proves need for a higher authority on flight safety

The forcing down of flight MH17 by what is widely believed to have been a missile has had an unprecedented impact on the aviation industry. It could have been any one of several well-known airlines also operating in the same flight corridor that day.

For too long, airlines have been shouldering the responsibility for making decisions about what constitutes a safe flight path, over areas in political turmoil. We are not intelligence agencies, but airlines charged with carrying passengers in comfort between destinations.

Against the backdrop of increasingly volatile political situations around the world, such as Ukraine and Gaza, we as an industry must act now to create a system of approval that guarantees safe air passage for all commercial airlines.

As things stand, airlines are ultimately responsible for making a decision on whether or not to take a particular flight path. When planning routes for our aircraft, Malaysia Airlines uses the best possible intelligence from the relevant third-party authorities to determine their safety and suitability. We consult with relevant governments, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, International Air Transport Association (Iata) and Eurocontrol, the air navigation service provider that determines civil aircraft flight paths over European airspace.

All factors are considered when making these decisions, with the safety of passengers and crew being the priority. Malaysia Airlines' flight operations team use this intelligence, data and advice to make an informed decision on the safety of the proposed route for every one of its aircraft. Only if a route is deemed completely safe by the authorities will Malaysia Airlines proceed with its flight plan.

MH17 was in airspace approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. Its flight plan was approved by the Ukrainian authorities and Eurocontrol. Yet still it was brought down.