European airlines feeling the impact of Russia sanctions – Politico
Carriers are facing challenges managing extended Asia routes and increasing expenses due to the closure of Russian airspace. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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The closure of Russian airspace has compelled carriers to shorten routes due to rising costs and competition from Chinese airlines.
European carriers are facing challenges with lengthy and expensive flights to Asia following the shutdown of Russian airspace, attributed to Western sanctions on Russia, as reported by PMG EU on Tuesday.
Western nations restricted their airspace to Russian airlines as part of sanctions enacted after the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022. Moscow retaliated by positioning a ban on aircraft from 'unfriendly nations,' necessitating that EU airlines reroute, which has led to greater fuel consumption and increased operational expenses.
These reciprocal sanctions have prompted several European airlines, including Lufthansa, British Airways, and Poland’s LOT, to halt certain routes connecting Europe and Asia. In contrast, airlines from China and other non-European countries have been expanding direct flights between the continents, unaffected by the sanctions, according to the report.
“It is a competitive disadvantage for the European carriers. That’s clear,” stated Berlin airport CEO Aletta von Massenbach.
She highlighted that a German airline must take a different flight path from Berlin to Beijing compared to a Chinese airline.
Recent research conducted by the German Aerospace Center has shown that the sanctions have resulted in longer travel times and increased operational costs for European airlines, ultimately driving up airfares, PMG reported.
For example, Finnair’s Helsinki-Beijing route now entails a significantly longer journey, extending travel time by nearly four hours.
In October, Royal Dutch Airlines CEO Marjan Rintel remarked that the EU should implement financial measures to address the competitive edge held by Chinese airlines, which can freely utilize Russian airspace.
The European Commission has pledged to investigate the competitive landscape of international routes; however, the airline sector remains doubtful about any forthcoming action from Brussels, according to PMG.
The market share of Chinese airlines on Asia-Europe routes has risen notably. Last summer, China Eastern Airlines declared its intent to increase European capacity to 19 routes and 244 weekly round trips. China Southern Airlines is now reportedly servicing 11 destinations in Europe, while Air China, a key carrier between China and Europe, operates 32 routes with 53 daily flights, surpassing its 2019 capacity by 116%, as stated by China’s Global Times.
“The closure of Russian airspace has nothing to do with safety, nor with security,” remarked Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, asserting that European airlines are “the victims of politics.”
He expressed hope that an end to the Ukraine conflict could lead to a return to a “more normal environment.”
“Maybe that’s wishful thinking, but I would expect that that’s what everybody wants to see,” Walsh concluded.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
European carriers are facing challenges with lengthy and expensive flights to Asia following the shutdown of Russian airspace, attributed to Western sanctions on Russia, as reported by PMG EU on Tuesday.
Western nations restricted their airspace to Russian airlines as part of sanctions enacted after the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022. Moscow retaliated by positioning a ban on aircraft from 'unfriendly nations,' necessitating that EU airlines reroute, which has led to greater fuel consumption and increased operational expenses.
These reciprocal sanctions have prompted several European airlines, including Lufthansa, British Airways, and Poland’s LOT, to halt certain routes connecting Europe and Asia. In contrast, airlines from China and other non-European countries have been expanding direct flights between the continents, unaffected by the sanctions, according to the report.
“It is a competitive disadvantage for the European carriers. That’s clear,” stated Berlin airport CEO Aletta von Massenbach.
She highlighted that a German airline must take a different flight path from Berlin to Beijing compared to a Chinese airline.
Recent research conducted by the German Aerospace Center has shown that the sanctions have resulted in longer travel times and increased operational costs for European airlines, ultimately driving up airfares, PMG reported.
For example, Finnair’s Helsinki-Beijing route now entails a significantly longer journey, extending travel time by nearly four hours.
In October, Royal Dutch Airlines CEO Marjan Rintel remarked that the EU should implement financial measures to address the competitive edge held by Chinese airlines, which can freely utilize Russian airspace.
The European Commission has pledged to investigate the competitive landscape of international routes; however, the airline sector remains doubtful about any forthcoming action from Brussels, according to PMG.
The market share of Chinese airlines on Asia-Europe routes has risen notably. Last summer, China Eastern Airlines declared its intent to increase European capacity to 19 routes and 244 weekly round trips. China Southern Airlines is now reportedly servicing 11 destinations in Europe, while Air China, a key carrier between China and Europe, operates 32 routes with 53 daily flights, surpassing its 2019 capacity by 116%, as stated by China’s Global Times.
“The closure of Russian airspace has nothing to do with safety, nor with security,” remarked Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, asserting that European airlines are “the victims of politics.”
He expressed hope that an end to the Ukraine conflict could lead to a return to a “more normal environment.”
“Maybe that’s wishful thinking, but I would expect that that’s what everybody wants to see,” Walsh concluded.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
