The International Federation of Airline Pilots Association(IFALPA) has drawn the attention of civil aviation managers globally the hazard posed by laser attacks against civil aircraft.

 Specifically the deliberate
targeting of flight crew with laser illumination to disrupt the safe operation of the aircraft, is a matter of increasing worldwide concern.

. Available data indicate that the
frequency of laser attacks on civil aircraft continues to rise significantly.


In the US alone, thousands of laser strikes are officially reported by pilots every year.

These strikes can result in distraction, disruption, disorientation and, in extreme cases,
blindness and incapacitation.


Although most attacks happen when the aircraft is near the ground, events are now
being recorded at altitudes in excess of 8,000 feet.

 So far, when a pilot has been
attacked on final approach, they have been able to hand control to the other pilot to

complete the landing safely.

IFALPA is extremely concerned that as the power, range, and divergence of the beams
increase, there will be occurrences where both pilots are effectively incapacitated close
to the ground, with likely catastrophic consequences.

 Laser attacks represent a critical
security and safety issue and should be considered as acts of unlawful interference.

Some technological means to defend against the dangers posed by laser attacks are
already being developed but, rather than having to deal with them in-flight, the
Federation strongly believes that the best line of defense is effective ground security
preventing them in the first place.

 IFALPA therefore supports further research to find
solutions which would assist law enforcement authorities in stopping these attacks and
in locating the perpetrators so they can be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

The lack of proper legislation is of concern. Even when airport security patrols or the
local police manage to locate and catch the perpetrator(s) of a laser attack, prosecutions
are very rare.

 IFALPA believes that States should establish and implement regulations,
practices, and procedures (including reporting standards) to safeguard civil aviation
against laser attacks on aircraft.


Following the concerns officially raised by the Federation at the 2014 Aviation Security
Panel meeting, ICAO sent out a Letter in December 2014 urging States to identify laser

attacks as a hazard to civil aviation, and to ensure that the general public is fully aware
of the seriousness and possible consequences of these attacks.

 In the same Letter,
States were encouraged to enforce all relevant laws and to apply penalties against
perpetrators in accordance with applicable legislation.

 
Current legislation in many, if not most, States is still insufficient to provide an effective
deterrence to laser attacks, as shown by their ongoing increase.


IFALPA therefore calls for States to establish and implement regulations, practices, and
procedures to safeguard civil aviation against such attacks.


Public awareness campaigns should be organized with the aim of educating the public
at large as to the danger of laser illuminations on a civil aircraft.


The Federation also believes that a laser attack leading to any injury to a pilot’s eyes or
jeopardizing the safety of the aircraft in any other way should be classified as both an

“act of unlawful interference” and a “serious incident” (as per the ICAO definitions of

these terms) and be subjected to a thorough investigation by the relevant Accident

Investigation Authority.