(Ottawa) Canadian airspace remains open to Russian airlines…for now.
Posted at 2:08 p.m.
Updated at 4:40 p.m.
Several European countries closed theirs to Russian companies following the invasion of Ukraine, but the federal government prefers to keep all options on the table.
Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said his department was carefully monitoring the situation and working with the United States and its other key allies.
The main Russian airline Aeroflot crosses Canadian airspace several times a day for its flights to the United States.
According to Ross Aimer, an aviation expert, Canadian space is crucial for the company. He fears Russian reprisals if Canada bans Aeroflot.
“It will add hours to their flights, sometimes making those connections impossible,” he said. This would send a very symbolic message. Closing an airspace is devastating. It’s like telling a friend or neighbor that they are no longer welcome at home. »
Western airlines fly over Russia, the largest country on the planet, for flights to Asia and the Middle East. However, for now, they are avoiding Ukraine and parts of Belarus and western Russia.
On Thursday, the United Kingdom suspended Aeroflot’s license. Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have closed their airspace to Russian passenger planes. Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia announced on Saturday that they would follow suit.
In retaliation, Russia announced it was banning commercial flights from the UK, Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.
The Conservative Party has urged the Trudeau government to do more, including declaring Russia’s ambassador to Canada, Oleg Stepanov, persona non grata, and expelling him from Canada. He wants the Canadian ambassador to Russia recalled. According to him, it is also necessary “to isolate Russia internationally, by seeking to withdraw it from organizations such as the G20 and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)”.
“This unprovoked attack, which comes after the signing of a joint pact between the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, poses the most serious threat to the rules-based international order since 1945 and, as such, a serious threat to global peace and security,” said interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen.