On March 7, United Airlines announced that it has indefinitely suspended two flights to India after halting flights that flew over Russia last week.
The Chicago-based airline said last week it had stopped service between San Francisco and Delhi and between Newark, New Jersey, and Mumbai. The airline further said it plans to continue flying to Delhi from both Chicago and Newark.
The Biden administration last week joined the European Union and Canada in banning Russian airlines from U.S. airspace. The ban included passenger, cargo flights, and scheduled as well as charter flights "effectively closing U.S. air space to all Russian commercial air carriers and other Russian civil aircraft," the Transportation Department said.
Late on March 1, United Airlines said it had temporarily suspended flying over Russian airspace, joining other major U.S. carriers who have taken the step after Russian troops last week poured into Ukraine.
United's last Delhi-to-San Francisco and Mumbai-to-Newark flights were on March 2. The Mumbai flight had to stop in Bangor, Maine, on the way to Newark. United's last U.S. departing legs of those two flights to India were on February 28.
Without access to Russian airspace some international flights to Asia are taking significantly longer routes and some must make a stop. Prior to the current turmoil, about 1,000 U.S. flights a week -- including many cargo flights -- typically flew over Russia, officials said. |
