How Trump’s Ban On Chinese Airline Flights Over Russia Would Impact Operations

When Russia closed off its airspace to airlines from Western-friendly nations in the wake of the War in Ukraine, it caused a landslide of operational complications for airlines, which shifted industry dynamics. For starters, US and European-oriented carriers were forced to begin serving destinations in Asia via circuitous routes that avoided flying directly over Russia, something which had been the norm for decades. These longer flight routes are more expensive, and they both add additional fuel costs and more flight time to individual routes, both of which make it much more complicated for airlines to compete. However, it would be an even playing field if Chinese airlines played by the rules that everybody else has to play by.