A year and a couple of weeks into Russia’s war on its neighbor Ukraine, the world remains divided on how to deal with (if at all) this continued act of aggression. Western countries have imposed sanctions that, as readers of Simple Flying will be aware, have pushed Russian airlines to cut ties with both Boeing and Airbus, as well as many international aircraft lessors (with insurance battles likely to rage for years as a result). Furthermore, European airspace is off limits to Russian operators, as is the Russian airspace to “non-friendly” states.
Airspace closed since December
Laos is one of the countries that did not immediately close its airspace to Russian carriers, who frequent it on their way from cities in the country’s Far East to popular tourist destinations in Thailand.
However, in December last year, the Laotian authorities decided to deny access to Russian airlines. But now, after three months, the government has decided that Russian flag carrier Aeroflot can once more fly through its airspace.
Flights affected are those operated from Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Krasnoyarsk, and Irkutsk. As reported by the Telegram channel of Aviatorshina on Thursday, the announcement was made to the airline’s pilots and comes into effect today, Friday, March 10.
While airlines have by no means been forced to make accommodations as major as European airlines operating services to East Asia as a result of Russian airspace closure, you can see the quite substantial detour of Aeroflot flight SU636 from Novosibirsk (OVB) to Phuket (HKT) on March 8 this year. As the route, operated by an Airbus A330, could not head straight through Laos, it instead veered west and through Myanmar.
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February passenger numbers on the up – for most
In February 2023, Russian airlines increased their passenger numbers by 0.7% compared to the year before, for a total of 6.52 million passengers. This was the first time carriers saw numbers increase over the past 12 months. However, not all airlines went plus compared to last year. Aeroflot, which carried the most amount of people, saw an increase of 21%, whereas the second largest, privately owned S7, carried 9% less.
Photo: fifg/Shutterstock
The Aeroflot Group’s low-cost carrier Pobeda (“Victory”) also transported fewer people than the year before, dipping a whole 16% below last year’s February figures. Indeed, all-Boeing operator Pobeda had to reduce its Boeing 737-800 fleet by 16 units as early as March last year due to a lack of spare parts, Reuters reported at the time. There are differing opinions on how long Russian operators can keep flying Boeing and Airbus aircraft safely, but Airbus chief Guillaume Faury, for one, is concerned.
Meanwhile, in another easing of relations with its more eastern neighbors, Russian news agency TASS reported that China may lift restrictions on the entry of tourists from Russia “in the near future.” Aeroflot already operates three flights a week from Moscow to Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai.
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Source: Aviatorshina, Reuters
Russian Airlines Are Able To Fly Over Laos Again
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