Suspected Russian jamming of GPS systems has disrupted thousands of flights in and out of Britain.

Ryanair reported over 2,300 incidents of GPS interference since August, with Wizz Air tallying almost 1,400, British Airways 82, and easyJet four, according to recent findings.

Flight logs analysed by GPSJAM.org reveal around 46,000 aircraft encountering GPS problems over the Baltic Sea during the same period, mainly in Eastern Europe bordering Russia.

The International Air Transport Association and the EU Aviation Safety Agency convened in January to address rising GPS threats, but the UK Civil Aviation Authority downplayed direct targeting of commercial planes.

Glenn Bradley, the head of flight operations at the CAA, said, “Aviation is one of the safest forms of air travel and there are several safety protocols in place to protect navigation systems on commercial aircraft.

“GPS jamming does not directly impact the navigation of an aircraft, and while it is a known issue, this does not mean an aircraft has been jammed deliberately.”

Despite reassurances from airlines like Ryanair and easyJet about navigation system redundancies, the issue underscores ongoing challenges in ensuring air travel safety amidst geopolitical tensions.

[Image created via MidJourney]