British flights will be banned from flying over Russia's airspace or landing at its airports, the Russian civil aviation authority announced Friday, in a move that further complicates global travel around the region.
Russian airspace has been banned from British planes.
Russia's civil aviation authority said the ban was in response to U.K. aviation authorities.
The U.K. banned Aeroflot from British airspace on Thursday as part of sanctions against Moscow.
The airspace in the region is already closed to civilian flights, with parts of Russian and Belarusian airspace also closed.
Airlines are already preparing contingency plans due to the conflict and have begun making inquiries about capacity at Alaska's Anchorage Airport, a popular refueling hub during the Cold War.
Japan Airlines canceled a flight to Moscow on Thursday due to security fears, and others have reported longer flight times due to changing routes.
There are more sanctions and disruptions. As conflict continues in neighboring countries, the regions of airspace closed to civilian traffic could expand. It is possible that Russia could ban other airlines or countries from flying over its airspace as part of future sanctions. The country could face sanctions for facilitating Russian aggression.
The impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic is still being managed by the aviation industry. The sector was hit the hardest by the Pandemic as travelers stopped travelling and passengers stopped flying. Russia's invasion caused airlines to scramble to adjust their routes to accommodate airspace that had been closed. The conflict in Europe could cause further delays to the industry's recovery, with oil prices spiking to the highest point in years.
The image shows empty airspace over the border with Russia.
The route map has been changed by the Ukraine invasion.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
