EU Bans Russian Flights in Response to War in Ukraine

Aeroflot has been forced to divert flights after the European Commission imposed a ban on Russian aircraft entering its airspace.

The action covers the 27-country bloc and follows the UK shutting its airspace to Russian aircraft following the invasion of Ukraine.

Aeroflot said it was cancelling all flights to European destinations until further notice.

The measure came after Russia banned airlines from European countries including the UK, Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic from flying over or landing on its territory.

This means that flights to Asia from the UK have to be rerouted to avoid Russian airspace.

Dozens of flights were grounded over the weekend in response to the turmoil, compounded by a computer glitch at British Airways which stopped all short-haul flights to and from Heathrow on Saturday morning.

A total of 2,792 aircraft were tracked passing through Russian-controlled airspace on February 24, according to the latest analysis by flight data firm, Cirium.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced a package of measures against Russia on Sunday in what she described as a “watershed moment”.

She said: “First, we are shutting down the EU airspace for Russians.

“We are proposing a prohibition on all Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft.

“These aircraft will no more be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU.

“This will apply to any plane owned, chartered or otherwise controlled by a Russian legal or natural person.

“So let me be very clear. Our airspace will be closed to every Russian plane – and that includes the private jets of oligarchs.”

Source: Travelweekly