US Government Engaging With Russia to Secure Additional Overflights, Source Says

© REUTERS / Kamil KrzaczynskiA United Airlines Boeing 777-200ER plane is towed as an American Airlines Boeing 737 plane departs from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Nov. 30, 2018.
A United Airlines Boeing 777-200ER  plane is towed as an American Airlines Boeing 737 plane departs from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Nov. 30, 2018.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 29.10.2021
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US government is currently engaging with its Russian counterparts to secure additional overflights, a source familiar with the matter told Sputnik on Friday.
"The U.S. government ... is engaging with the Russian government in an effort to secure rights for additional overflights going forward," the source said.
They pointed out that the US government has already secured approval of most of the requested overflights for the winter season.
On Thursday, Reuters reported that Airlines for America trade group, which represents such carriers as American Airlines, Delta Airlines, FedEx Corp, and United Parcel Service, has asked the State Department to take an immediate action to address the needs of airlines to safeguard rights to overfly Russian airspace.
In a letter, dated October 14, the group requested US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to intervene, according to the report. The group warned that without these additional rights US airlines will have to operate on alternate, which will lead to time penalties, technical stops, excess CO2 emissions as well as loss of historic slot rights.
Earlier on Friday, the trade group told Sputnik that US air carriers have urged the government to secure extra Russian overflights in the near future.
"A4A appreciates the U.S. government’s efforts to secure approvals of Russian overflights for the upcoming winter season on behalf of U.S. airlines," Carter Yang, Managing Director, Industry Communications at Airlines for America, said. "A4A underscores the importance of the U.S. government securing additional Russian overflights for U.S. airlines in the near term."
Yang underscored that Russian overflights are "key to maintaining and expanding U.S. airlines’ global network."
"These overflights allow U.S. passenger and cargo carriers to operate efficiently between the U.S. and destinations in Asia, India and the Middle East," he said.
American airlines have called on the US government to secure extra Russian overflights for the upcoming winter season, he noted.
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