air piracy

American  

noun

1. the hijacking of an airplane; skyjacking.

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Other Word Forms

• air pirate noun

Etymology

Origin of air piracy

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

European officials, who likened the diversion to air piracy, also banned Belarus airlines from EU skies and airports.

From Seattle Times

"We have to tighten the thumbscrews after this callous action of state air piracy," Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told reporters.

From Reuters

Last month, the authoritarian Belarusian regime of Alexander Lukashenko pioneered a new form of air piracy, sending military aircraft to force a commercial airliner to land in Belarus, where a passenger, a dissident Belarusian journalist, was arrested.

From Washington Post

Western countries denounced the incident as air piracy by Belarus.

From Seattle Times

The president will begin his day meeting with leaders of the Baltic states on NATO‘s eastern flank regarding the “threat posed by Russia,” China and the recent air piracy in Belarus, according to Sullivan.

From Washington Times