Russia has warned that European airlines that choose to bypass Belarus will face delays.
A number of airlines, including Air France, Singapore Airlines and Finnair, have said they will swerve Belarusian airspace in a diplomatic row sparked by last Sunday’s “hijack” of a Ryanair plane.
Yesterday, Russia refused to let two European commercial aircraft land in Moscow in what appears to be retaliation for a European ban on its own aeroplanes entering Belarusian airspace.
An Austrian Airlines plane from Vienna and an Air France flight from Paris were cancelled on Thursday because the Russian authorities did not grant them permission to fly around Belarus en route.
A Paris-Moscow Air France flight could not take off on Wednesday for the same reason.
Russia's federal aviation agency Rosaviatsiya told airlines that changes to “previously approved” routes between Europe and the country will result in delays to obtaining permits for arrivals, departures and transit through Russian airspace.
“The increase in the time it takes to complete the procedures is due to the increase in the total number of requests from airlines,” it said.
According to the aviation body, there were 113 overflights of Belarus by European airlines yesterday, and 53 flights that took alternative routes.
Earlier this week, UK aircraft were ordered to stay away from Belarusian airspace, following Sunday’s forced diversion of a Ryanair plane.
The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said he has instructed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace “in order to keep passengers safe”.
The CAA has issued a notice to all UK-registered airlines requesting that they avoid overflight of any territory of Belarus.
The European Union has urged its airlines to do the same.
