Chinese airlines start bypassing Russian airspace

Chinese airlines have begun to avoid flying over Russian airspace on their newly approved flights to and from the United States.

According to Ukrinform, Reuters reports this concerning data from FlightAware, a flight tracking website, and aviation industry representatives.

Russia has banned US airlines and other foreign carriers from flying over its airspace in response to Washington's ban on Russian flights over the United States in March 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine.

FlightAware data shows that Chinese flights recently approved by Washington do not fly over Russia, while previously approved Chinese airline flights to the United States still use Russian airspace.

U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Annie Petsonk refused to answer questions about whether the Biden administration demanded that Chinese carriers avoid Russian airspace as a condition for approving four new flights to the United States.

In addition, the spokeswoman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington also did not answer whether Chinese carriers agreed to avoid Russian airspace for the new flights.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 03/06/2023