Which type of aircraft has the right-of-way over all other air traffic?

The type of aircraft that has the right-of-way over all other air traffic is the aircraft in distress. This includes situations where an aircraft is experiencing mechanical failure, low fuel, or other emergencies that pose a significant risk to its safety. When an aircraft communicates its distress, air traffic control prioritizes its needs to ensure the safety of the occupants and facilitate a safe landing or return to a safe state. The urgency of a distress situation overrides all other operational priorities, necessitating immediate and clear air traffic management responses to assist the aircraft in the most efficient way possible.

In contrast, choices involving altitude, instrument approaches, or commercial operations do not take precedence over a distress situation. While these scenarios hold importance in air traffic management, they do not warrant the same level of urgency as an aircraft in distress, which is why the correct answer focuses on that specific situation.