Recently, a group of senators have called for a ban on airlines flying to the United States using Russian airspace.
The proposal comes amidst rising tensions between the US and Russia, and concerns over Russian interference in US elections, as well as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
They argue that the current situation puts US carriers at a disadvantage as they are prohibited by Moscow from using Russian airspace, forcing them to take longer routes to a string of international destinations, such as cities in China. An additional by-product of the current situation is that it puts US airlines at a competitive disadvantage relative to airlines from other countries willing to do business with Russia,” they wrote.
Currently, US carriers fly to Shanghai with a stopover in Seoul, as the longer flying distance extends beyond the time limits for flight crew. Like their European counterparts, also banned from Russian airspace, they have to contend with payload restrictions.