Cyprus closes its airspace to Belarus airlines, flights

Cyprus has closed its airspace to flights from Belarus, joining a list of European Union nations imposing restrictions following the forced landing of a passenger jet in Minsk on May 23.

The aviation authority had banned airlines registered in Belarus from using Cyprus’s airspace and airports from May 28, a transport ministry spokesperson said.

Most of Belarus’s neighbours and many other European nations have banned Belarusian national airline Belavia flights in anger over the forced landing of a Ryanair jet en route to Lithuania from Greece and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board.

The same advisory prohibits Cyprus-registered airlines from entering Belarusian airspace, or flights to and from Belarus. All flights to Belarus have been suspended.

A scheduled Belavia flight from Minsk to Cyprus’s Larnaca airport on May 29 was cancelled, another source said. The restrictions do not apply in the case of humanitarian or medical emergencies.

Air France cancels flights as Russia withholds clearance

Air France cancelled two more flights to Moscow on Monday after Russian authorities failed to approve flight plans that avoid Belarus airspace.

The European Union has urged its airlines to avoid Belarus amid outrage over the forced landing of a Ryanair jet en route to Lithuania from Greece on May 23 and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board.

“Air France confirms the cancellation of flights AF1154 and AF1654 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Moscow on 31 May 2021 as the authorisations from Russian authorities to enter their territory have not been granted,” the airline said.

The French airline, part of the broader Air France-KLM group, was forced to cancel two Paris-Moscow flights last week after receiving no Russian clearance for flight plans skirting the territory.

Obstacles to rerouted Air France flights appeared to have been resolved late last week, allowing Air France to carry out two weekend Paris-Moscow services.

But the latest setbacks occurred after Air France resubmitted routes avoiding Belarus for approval as part of a seasonal renewal process, an Air France spokesman said.

Russia’s federal aviation agency Rosaviatsiya declined to comment on Monday. Russia, Minsk’s main ally, warned airlines last week that changes to Europe-Russia routes resulting from the standoff may be subject to longer clearance times.

(Reporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Andrew Heavens)