Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te landed in Taipei on Tuesday after visiting Eswatini, his only ally in Africa. During the trip, three countries - Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar - denied overflight permission to his plane, according to Taipei due to Chinese pressure. Lai stated that Taiwan has the right to engage with the world.
How geopolitics redefines air routes and technological sovereignty ✈️
The denial of overflight forced the presidential aircraft to chart an alternative route, increasing flight time and fuel consumption. This type of air blockade is a tactic of geopolitical pressure that affects the logistics of official travel. A country's ability to negotiate air corridors depends on its diplomatic network, something Taiwan faces with limited allies on the global chessboard.
The presidential plane had to ask for permission even to go to the bathroom 😅
It seems Lai's plane needed a passport for every cloud it crossed. Three countries closed their airspace as if it were an exclusive nightclub, and the pilot had to juggle the GPS to avoid flying over a golf course. In the end, Lai arrived safe and sound, though he surely now knows more about alternative routes than an Uber driver during rush hour.