Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, both the United Kingdom and the European Union have announced sanctions against Russia, with some affecting aviation.
The UK government announced on Thursday that it has banned Aeroflot, the largest Russian airline, from its airspace and airports.
On Friday morning, the EU announced a set of sanctions against Russia, which include an export ban of aircraft and spare parts to Russian airlines. However, EU states have not yet taken a similar decision as the UK, allowing airlines like Aeroflot to continue operating its European routes.
Most airlines based in the European Union have not suspended their flights to Russia. However, International Airlines Group (IAG) announced that it will no longer use Russian airspace. The group includes British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and Level. This announcement came as Russia said it will ban any UK-registered aircraft from its airspace in response to sanctions.
Jakob Wert is an aviation journalist from Germany. He built up the website IFN.news and is the Editor-In-Chief of International Flight Network.
