IATA Head: Western Countries Should Prepare to Resume Flights Over Russia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) William Walsh said on Tuesday that Western countries should start preparations for resumption of air transportation over Russian territory in order to decrease the load on airlines.

Western powers have suspended their flights through Russian airspace following the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine. Meanwhile, some Middle Eastern and Chinese air companies have continued to fly over Russia.

"We should be looking to reopen Russian airspace to have it accessible to all airlines to transit through the traditional Siberian flights so that Europe can access Asia in the most efficient way," Walsh said, as quoted by British media.

He noted that China might ease its COVID-19-related flight restrictions next year, which would give Chinese airlines advantages over their European competitors, including British Airways, whose flights, forced to avoid Russian airspace, could be delayed for hours, according to the media.

Walsh added that flights over Russia and Ukraine had turned into a "major issue" for airlines, since Europe's airspace had become overcrowded with planes.

However, according to the IATA head, the reopening of Russian airspace can occur only after the conflict in Ukraine is resolved.

According to media reports, European airlines have recently started exerting pressure on Brussels to review the ban on Russia’s airspace.