Russiaway under threat?

Back in the 1970s Europe's airlines began to get very limited access to rights to fly over Russia en route to Japan. BA predecessor BOAC marketed it as their Russiaway. Initially in those days of Boeing 707s and DC8s an en route landing had to be made in Moscow. Later, with the longer range widebodies, nonstops became possible and were permitted.

China though continued to block the way to the rest of Asia until its staged easings of restrictions in the 1990s paved the way to the opening of the northern routes overhead both China and Russia to all airlines. Until then Hong Kong in particular could only be accessed via the southern route, the most direct of which avoided the Gulf by cutting north west over Afghanistan and Pakistan via the Wakkhan corridor. Depending on winds, flight times usually exceeded 15 hours .Even with 747-400s ad hoc refuelling calls were not infrequent towards the end of the sector. These could result in flight termination or extensive delay due to the crews' statutory or union agreed flight time limitations.

We could be heading back there. All of a sudden the plethora of  "quick" 12 to 13 hour routes from North, North East and South East Asia to Europe and the UK by western airlines look as if they might be fragile.

The fallout of the EU and America's sanctions on Russia and their imminent tightening could well be the suspension of their airlines' Russian overflight rights to all but Russian destinations. Russia's irritation with the Wests' response to its involvement in Ukraine is clear. So far it has refrained from using this weapon. It has though given clear indications that with the increasing tightening of the sanctions screw it just might.