As someone who began flying long-haul to Asia from the 1970s I realise the significance of this ‘tit for tat’ move.
In the Cold War era the then USSR along with China denied overflying rights to most Western airlines.
The above nations could do that because neither signed the 1944 Chicago Convention which determined the ‘freedoms of the air’.
It meant that flights from Europe to the Far East were reduced to taking circuitous routings via the Gulf or (in the case of NE Asia) via Anchorage, Alaska.
Back in 1974 I made my first trip to Japan. I flew with KLM from Amsterdam via Anchorage to Tokyo (Haneda).
Flight time Amsterdam-Anchorage was roughly eight hours, transit time in Anchorage was around two hours and then it was another seven hours flying on to Tokyo.
It meant in 1974 a flight from Europe to Japan would take around 17 or 18 hours (depending on wind speed and so on).
Contrast that to today’s non-stop flights which take around 12 hours.
Mark’s piece today quotes the statement from British Airways regarding the loss of these rights.
In truth BA’s schedules currently do not feature many, if any, flights to NE Asia or Hong Kong.
In the case of flights to SE Asia the difference in flight time by routing via the Gulf is minimal.
I recall interviewing Singapore Airlines executives in Singapore in the 1980s (when USSR was starting to open its airspace to the West) and I was told SIA would take either routing (depending on conditions on any given day) to Europe.
A further bonus was that were SIA to route via the Gulf it would avoid paying USSR’s royalty payments (for the right to overfly).
However other destinations would be affected less.
Tweeting from Delhi aviation analyst Vinamra Longani notes that today’s Virgin Atlantic flight had an extended flight time of up to 30 minutes.
In retaliation to measures announced by the UK, #Russia has banned UK airlines from using its airspace.@VirginAtlantic avoided #Russian airspace today out of caution and you can see the difference it makes to the routing. Also, adds up to 30 minutes to the flying time.#AvGeek pic.twitter.com/ioPL1z9GU8
— 𝐕𝐓-𝐕𝐋𝐎 (@Vinamralongani) February 25, 2022
He also reports that Virgin Atlantic’s flights to Pakistan (Islamabad and Lahore) would be similarly affected.
Fortunately these are not normal times for aviation and Asian schedules are reduced.
But if this situation were to continue long term (when borders reopen and travel returns) Russia’s overflying restrictions will have greater impact on UK airlines.
