(Photo: Reuters)Commercial airline pilots have faced escalating risks in recent years, from drone incursions to flight paths squeezed by conflict. The outbreak of war in the Middle East has put hundreds of ballistic missiles and attack ‌drones into the skies above some of the world’s busiest airports. That has increased the strain on the mental health of pilots desperate to keep themselves and their ​passengers safe. “Middle East pilots have always faced crises, so from the start we trained how to deal with contingencies, emergencies and everything else,” said Captain Mohammed Aziz, director general of Lebanon’s civil aviation authority. (Photo: AFP)Drones in EuropeThe risks are not confined to the Middle East.

Source: Bangkok Post March 07, 2026 13:08 UTC