Rising GPS interference incidents a concern: Global airlines grouping IATA

GENEVA/NEW DELHI: Increasing incidents of flights experiencing GPS spoofing and jamming is a concern, and pilots need to be more vigilant, according to global airlines' grouping IATA.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents around 360 airlines that account for over 80 per cent of the global air traffic. Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express and SpiceJet are also part of the grouping.

In recent times, there have also been instances of GPS spoofing and interference incidents at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai airports.

During interactions this week in Geneva, IATA officials said rising incidents of GPS interference incidents are a concern. IATA Director General Willie Walsh said incidents of GPS spoofing and jamming require pilots to be more vigilant in terms of operation, because the increase has been very significant.

"It exists right across the world now". Global Positioning System (GPS)/ Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) spoofing and jamming refers to attempts to manipulate a user's navigation system by giving false signals.

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) identifies GNSS spoofing as a form of International Radio Frequency Interference (RFI).

Nick Careen, Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security at IATA, said that in the beginning, such incidents were in the Middle East and then, with the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, it was happening in Eastern Europe.

"Now, there are incidents in India, in Asia, in Venezuela...," he said. Data from IATA showed the GPS loss rate measured as the number of GPS loss events per 1,000 flights is estimated to be at 59 in 2025 compared to 31 in 2022.

These figures are based on data compiled from the Flight Data eXchange (FDX), an aggregated de-identified database of flight data that is part of the Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) programme.

It is contributed to by airlines that are part of the programme. In 2022, the GPS loss rate was 31, based on a relatively low number of recorded flights and in 2024, it was 56, showing a steady trend despite higher traffic volumes.

The GPS loss rate is expected to reach 59 this year, according to a presentation by Careen. He noted that the increase is "notable and concerning -- it suggests that GPS interference or jamming is becoming more frequent, not merely a function of flight volume".

FDX is an essential asset in mitigating airlines safety risks on the basis of solid data, as per IATA. When asked what could be the key reasons for such incidents, Careen said it is not about targeting civil aviation. "We are just bystanders... because it is typical military response to airspace management around a conflict zone... we just happen to be either too close to it or whatever they are doing is actually a little bit beyond their targeted area," he said.

According to him, better coordination, communication and systems can help in dealing with the incidents. "We are raising awareness. Is it (GPS spoofing, jamming) something that would prevent me from getting on an aeroplane? No," he said.

India's civil aviation ministry, this week, informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 1,951 issues of interference with aircraft's GPS system have been reported during the two years since November 2023. GPS interference reporting started after the publication of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advisory circular in November 2023 regarding GNSS interference in airspace.