territorial airspace

Russia said a military airplane's intrusion into South Korean territorial airspace Tuesday "wasn't intentional," and Russian officials expressed "deep regret" over the violation of the country's airspace, Cheong Wa Dae said, Wednesday.

China's foreign ministry said South Korea's Air Defence Identification Zone was not territorial airspace and all countries enjoyed freedom of movement in it.

Iran said the drone was shot down after it breached territorial airspace but Washington said it was buzzing through international skies.

"The IRGC Aerospace Force's air defense system targeted and destroyed the hostile aircraft which had entered Iran's territorial airspace at 04:05 am," the statement said.

How High the Sky?: The Definition and Delimitation of Outer Space and Territorial Airspace in International Law

They added the Russian aircraft were in the UK "area of interest", although they did not enter UK territorial airspace.

One of the consequences of this decision is that the maritime space under legal dispute between the Philippines and China would be drastically reduced from over 531,000 square kilometers to only about 23,000 square kilometers; freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight, outside the territorial sea and territorial airspace in the South China Sea are reinforced.

Air defense identification zones, also known as ADIZ, are not technically a country's territorial airspace. Another country's aircraft can enter these areas but must first identify themselves to air traffic as part of an early warning system. When an aircraft does not identify itself, this is seen a potential attack and jets are sent up to intercept and investigate.  

"Lebanese airlines are currently facing the possibility of a complete ban from operating within EU territorial airspace. This follows a significant delay in addressing safety concerns raised by the International Civil Aviation Organization in December 2012.

On Wednesday, a Chinese early warning aircraft overflew waters between the two islands, becoming the first ever Chinese military plane known to have done so, prompting Japan's Air Self-Defense Force to scramble in response, although its path did not include Japan's territorial airspace.

"It is incredible that we managed at short notice to complete a 143-article law that addresses all world changes dealing with the licensing of planes, responsibilities of captains, transfer of passengers and luggage and penalties for trespassing in the country's territorial airspace without prior authorisation - besides all technical aspects that would help regulate the aviation field."