Russia-Ukraine war news: Making sense of changing flight patterns over eastern Europe
India Today
Russia-Ukraine war news latest updates: Even as operators are making constant adjustments to the rapidly changing situation, longer routes, increasing oil prices and increased flying time are expected to have an impact on the airline industry worldwide.
A United Airlines (UA) passenger flight that departed on Friday from The Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi took 16 hours and 12 minutes of flight time to reach its destination, O'Hare International Airport, Chicago. Earlier on Monday, the same flight between these two airports only took 14 hours and 38 minutes of flight time.
Both the flights operated days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began amid the European restrictions on airspace, and yet there was more than 2 hours of flight time difference. US President Joe Biden announced restrictions on Russian flights entering US airspace.
Following the announcement, American airlines such as UA, operating between New Delhi and Chicago had to avoid using the usual route via Russia and adopt another route via Western Europe to complete their flights.
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Incidentally, the Air India flights between these two airports continue to operate via Russian airspace, as there are no direct restrictions between India and Russia. This is one of the several instances of how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is going to affect the aviation sector, even in regions far away from the war.
While operators continue to make adjustments according to the changing situation, longer routes, increased flying time along with rising fuel prices are expected to have an impact on the aviation industry worldwide.
As the Russian advance on Ukraine completed its 10th day, the India Today's Data Intelligence Unit (DIU) analysed the changes in flight patterns following various airspace restrictions imposed by several countries.
