Bypassing Belarus is forcing airlines to meander across Europe’s skies

Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Singapore Airlines, SAS, Air Baltic … One by one, airlines, especially European ones, decided on Tuesday 25 May to suspend flights over Belarus. The following decisions Retaliatory measure adopted by the European Union on Monday, 24 May After the Belarusian authorities on Sunday hijacked a low-cost Irish Ryanair Boeing plane for Minsk, which was providing the connection between Athens and Vilnius. This process is qualified by France “State piracy”, The Belarusian authorities allowed the arrest of opposition journalist Roman Protasevic and his companion, who were on board the plane for stealing the plane.

The EU decision will not help the airlines, which have already weakened them by more than a year of activity severely slowed by the Covid-19 crisis. They have already begun to review the regulation of their routes, especially to Russia and Asia. “Air France has taken note of the findings of the European Council and is therefore suspending flights over the airspace until further notice.” [biélorusse] With its devices. Planes already en route will see their flight plan modified. “The company is announced headed by Benjamin Smith.

“The direct trip to Moscow would be more complicated.”An Air France pilot confirms. “We’ll have to make a small detour.” And it passes through Ukraine in the south or through the Baltic states in the north, Which will extend the journey from five to ten minutes., Determines the hostess of Air France. ‘Zigzag Ces’According to him, It will lead to additional fuel consumption. An additional cost that Air France cannot determine yet.

Simple PLC modification

However, the company should not be affected badly. Dozens of its lines have only flown over Belarus.as you say. On average, 2,500 commercial planes flew every week in Belarus before the hijacking of the Ryanair flight. This bypass “Path option will be removed” If a problem occurs, he informs a pilot, according to which Minsk can play the role ‘Airport emergency’.

Belarus is not the only region to be avoided in European airspace. Since 2014 and the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, aircraft have avoided flying over the peninsula. In the same year, companies also hijacked their planes from Ukraine for a while after separatists shot down Donbas with a missile on July 17. Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

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