A Pakistan International Airlines ATR 42-500, performing flight PK-661 on December 7th 2016 from Chitral to Islamabad (Pakistan), reported a left hand engine failure whilst en-route. A short time later, the fight crew declared MAYDAY and radio and radar contact with the aircraft ceased. The aircraft had impacted terrain, approximately 25 nautical miles north of Islamabad. Initial reports indicate that all 47 occupants on-board were fatally injured and the aircraft was completely destroyed. The aircraft's flight data recorders (Black boxes) have been recovered and the Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority has launched an investigation.

The United States Department of Transport (DOT) has imposed fines on Qatar Airways after it was discovered that the airline had operated code-share flights, on behalf of US-based airlines, in airspace that had been restricted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In late 2014 and early 2015, the airline had reportedly performed a number of flights carrying the American Airlines flight code designation. These flights took place in foreign airspace that had been listed as conflict zones, and therefore had been subjected to an FAA prohibition. Both airlines share an extensive partnership through their association within the Oneworld airline alliance.

In December 2016 the European Commission released an updated EU Air Safety list. Commonly referred to as the EU Ban list, it consists of airline carriers that are banned from operating within European Airspace due to the lack of adequate regulatory oversight. As a result of this revision, all air operators from Kazakhstan were removed from the EU Ban List and can now operate unrestricted flights to the EU. In addition to these changes, Iranian operator; Iran Aseman Airlines, was added to the list of banned carriers due to safety concerns.