Israel’s national air carrier, El Al, has made the decision to urgently cancel all scheduled flights to Moscow until the end of June. This step has become a logical response to the sharp escalation of the situation surrounding the safety of using the airspace of the Russian Federation. And the latest evidence of the deep isolation of the Russian aviation sector. The Israeli airline’s decision followed the publication of alarming data regarding the actions of the Russian Federation. Which directly threaten the lives of passengers on international flights. The key impetus for this démarche was a discussion held on June 22 within the framework of ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). Reports Newsreporter
ICAO verdict: the sky over Russia has become a risk zone
During the discussion of the decisions of the 42nd ICAO Assembly and resolutions concerning gross violations of the Chicago Convention by the Russian Federation. The world community stated a critical threat. It was officially declared: the use by Russia of military aviation, air defense systems, and missile weaponry. During the aggressive war against Ukraine creates significant risks for international civil aviation. The participants of the discussion paid special attention to systemic interference. With GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals, which Russia creates for its own interests. Such “irresponsible activity,” in the opinion of experts, undermines the foundations of international security and the protection of aviation.
The meeting was held at a high level: it was attended by EU representatives to ICAO Delphine Michaud-Nodet, delegates. From European states members of the ICAO Council, Acting Representative of the USA to ICAO Anthony Kler. Permanent Representatives of Turkey and the UAE (Second Vice-President of the ICAO Council) Saeed Mohammed Al Suwaidi, as well as the Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada Andrii Plakhotniuk. The participants emphasized the importance of ensuring full accountability of the Russian Federation for actions that jeopardize civilian flights.
After the ICAO discussions and the public warnings about security risks, Israel’s El Al chose to suspend flights to Moscow out of safety concerns. This raises a direct question for other airlines that continue operating routes to Russia. If the risks are serious enough for one national carrier to stop flying, why do others keep sending passengers into the same airspace?
The tip of the iceberg
The decision of El Al is only the beginning of the process. Airlines all over the world, for whom safety is an absolute priority, are carefully studying ICAO reports and revising their strategies. It is likely that the number of international carriers stopping flights to Russian cities will only grow. The situation has become a stalemate for Russia. International structures are recording the incompatibility of the actions of the Russian Federation with the basic protocols of the Chicago Convention. The isolation of the Russian sky is becoming irreversible, and flights to the RF are turning into a risk factor that neither large aviation holdings nor insurance companies are ready to take on. For the Russian aviation market, this means the transformation of the country into a “no-fly zone” for the civilized world.
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