On July 6, an Air China passenger jet and an SF Airlines cargo aircraft came within 100 meters of each other in Russian airspace—after the passenger aircraft climbed without clearance.

This serious breach of airspace separation was narrowly avoided thanks to fast action by both crews and TCAS collision alerts.

💡 Key takeaways:

• Unauthorized altitude changes can have catastrophic consequences—even in high-tech, regulated skies.

• Pilot error, miscommunication, and ATC language barriers remain critical safety risks.

• Incidents like this underscore the value of robust CRM, automation training, and global ATC coordination.

🛫 As China’s aviation footprint expands and global skies grow more crowded, the industry must prioritize:
✔️ Crew resource management
✔️ Airspace coordination
✔️ Real-time safety tech
✔️ Transparent investigations

This was not just a close call—it was a reminder of how thin the margin of safety can be at 35,000 feet.