Along with several other international airlines, Bahrain-based carrier, Gulf Air, and EgyptAir have officially suspended operations to Yemen indefinitely after the airlines cited concerns regarding the safety and security of operations to Yemen. Gulf Air formally suspended operations on the 27th of March, with the airline noting that the ongoing security concerns in the country’s capital, Sana'a, as the primary reason for the suspension of services. Similarly, EgyptAir noted that the proximity of the insurgents to Sana'a International Airport had prompted the airline to suspend its operations to the region. The Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has also reported that the insurgents may have access to short- and medium-range missiles, which could potentially be used against low flying aircraft.

The U.S. civil aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has recently issued proposed fines to U.S. regional operators, SkyWest and Horizon Air, for failing to adhere to U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations. According to the FAA, the two airlines allegedly operated non-compliant aircraft in their scheduled passenger operations. Horizon Air reportedly failed to adequately inspect and test the transponders on six of their Bombardier Dash 8 regional aircraft, while SkyWest reportedly failed to fully carryout required air conditioning maintenance inspections on three Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft. The FAA believes that the failure of SkyWest to adhere to the required air conditioning inspections may have lead to a cabin depressurisation incident. The airlines are currently in talks with the FAA regarding the proposed fines.

US-based airline, Southwest, grounded 128 aircraft after the airline discovered that one of the aircraft’s standby hydraulic systems had not been inspected during scheduled maintenance. The airline discovered the non-compliance in late February and subsequently immediately notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the incident. The airline then moved to ground the effected aircraft until a proposed response and operational plan could be approved by the FAA. The FAA subsequently approved the airline’s plan, which involves gradually carrying out the required checks over a 5 day period.