European Aviation Safety Agency Advises Airlines to Avoid Russian Skies
In the wake of a recent plane crash, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has urged global airlines to suspend flights to and over Russia. The crash, which occurred on December 25, involved an Azerbaijan Airlines plane en route to Russia.
The EASA has identified five Russian cities as areas of concern, recommending that flights to and from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don, and Samara be avoided. The agency’s decision is linked to the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has led to a significant risk of accidents in the Russian airspace due to a lack of coordination between civilian and military air traffic control.
The risk of unintended attacks on civilian aircraft is heightened by the activation of Russian air defense systems in response to Ukrainian rocket and drone attacks, the agency warned.
The EASA’s recommendation is primarily aimed at non-Russian airlines, which continue to use the Russian airspace despite the existing risks. Currently, no European airline is operating flights to or over Russia. The agency has stated that the recommendation will remain in effect until the end of July 2025, but can be reviewed and updated if the security situation changes.
The Azerbaijan Airlines plane, which was on its way from Baku to Grozny, deviated from its course and crashed a few kilometers short of Aktau, resulting in the loss of 38 of the 67 people on board.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for the tragic incident, while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has held Russia responsible for the crash.
Seven airlines have already restricted or suspended their flights to Russia, including Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air, Israel’s El Al, the United Arab Emirates’ Flydubai, Serbia’s Air Serbia, Uzbekistan’s Qanot Sharq, and Turkmenistan Airlines. Azerbaijan Airlines has also suspended its operations in 11 Russian cities.