Sanaa Bans Landing of First Saudi Flight at Mocha Airport and Officially Halts Its Operations
Aviation Decision Rekindles Debate Over Taiz Airports and Reveals Political and Military Dimensions
NYN | Reports and Analyses
The civil aviation authorities in Sanaa have suspended operations at Mocha Airport and barred the landing of the first flight arriving from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a move reflecting a new escalation in the aviation file amid areas under political and military division.
Landing Clearance Denied
Aviation sources reported that the Sanaa-based Civil Aviation Authority refused to grant a landing permit to an aircraft operated by Yemenia Airways, following the announcement of the launch of a new air route from the city of Jeddah to Mocha Airport, deeming the move a violation of decisions regulating civil aviation traffic in the country.
Mocha Airport Outside the Civil Framework
The sources confirmed that the ban is based on previous directives prohibiting the operation of any flights from Mocha Airport, which is under the control of Tariq Saleh’s forces on the western coast of Taiz Governorate. They noted that Sanaa classifies the airport as a facility of a military nature established by the United Arab Emirates, lacking the technical and security standards required for civilian operation.
Sanaa Insists on Taiz International Airport
Sanaa had previously rejected the opening of Mocha Airport as an alternative to Taiz International Airport, calling instead for the reopening of the latter as the official and accredited civilian airport of the governorate, in accordance with the laws and agreements governing air navigation.
Political and Security Dimensions
Observers believe the move comes within the context of a broader struggle over the management of sovereign entry points, amid concerns over the use of airports for military purposes or outside the official oversight of locally recognized civil aviation authorities.
