Dear BB97 and Flap 5,
AI, SQ and many others were in the vicinity if not on the same route during that time. Do they consider engine drift down as well? By your standard, all other airlines too hidding behind an ATC approval. Do you know that SQ immediate response was they don't use that airspace but later issued an apology as " insensitive statement"?
Is Syria a prohibited airspace or has the airline's country regulator imposed a ban? FAA ban does not necessary means everyone else in the world must follow. Situation on the ground fluctuates from time to time.
Isn't there some fighting in Iraq? So many flight still going over the top of it.
The Russia accusation of MH17 being off track, look carefully at the airways they qouted, it was L69 where MH17 was in fact on L980.
Easy to finger point, next time point it in the mirror!!