Russian airspace ban means pricier flights for Canadian travellers and airlines

MONTREAL –

Ross Aimer nonetheless recollects the snow-white Russian tundra unfurling on the horizon throughout flights he piloted between the U.S. and Asia.

“In summertime, it’s all daytime flying. That’s beautiful views,” mentioned Aimer, CEO of California-based Aero Consulting Experts and a former United Airlines captain.

Those vistas are now not obtainable to flight crews from many Western nations. Russia barred Canadian, American, British and European Union operators from its airspace greater than a yr in the past in response to airspace prohibitions in opposition to it by these states and others that help Ukraine, after Moscow invaded its neighbour in February 2022.

European airways are among the many most affected, having to reroute planes on hours-long detours to succeed in Asia and elements of the Middle East.

But Canadian carriers are impacted too, with planes en path to East Asia and South Asia compelled to skirt round Russian airspace each day, and no signal of aid on the radar. The detours imply longer journeys, higher gas and labour prices and finally increased fares for passengers amid hovering inflation and already expensive worldwide journey.

“It’s definitely a negative for U.S. airlines and for Canadian airlines. It is definitely an issue,” mentioned Helane Becker, an aviation analyst with TD Cowen.

Flight paths to Asia do not lower straight throughout the Pacific Ocean, however reasonably run the shortest doable distance by tracing an arc via the Arctic — and, earlier than the airspace bans, via japanese Russia.

“The optimal flight route between Canada and Southeast Asia and everything in between would have you pass through parts of Russian airspace, from the point basically north of the Korean Peninsula and then down,” mentioned former Air Canada chief working officer Duncan Dee.

The adjusted routes, marked on flight-tracking apps that present a gradual stream of jetliners skirting Russian airspace over the Bering Sea, will be 10 per cent longer in distance than earlier than the struggle. That applies for flights from Vancouver to Hong Kong or from Toronto to Delhi, mentioned Robert Kokonis, president of consulting agency AirTrav Inc. Other continuous routes, similar to Vancouver to Bangkok or Seoul, would additionally want a course correction.

The additional gas burned because of this is not any rounding error. Though down from its peak final June, jet gas’s value of US$2.68 per gallon in March nonetheless marks a 41 per cent soar from 4 years earlier.

“That adds to the ticket price for the consumer,” Becker mentioned.

One-way Air Canada fares from Vancouver to Hong Kong rose 41 per cent between January 2019 and January 2023, in response to flight knowledge agency Cirium. The airline’s flights from Toronto to Delhi price 47 per cent extra over the identical time interval.

In distinction, the typical fare for all flights — not simply Air Canada’s — between Vancouver and Hong Kong really dropped by 22 per cent between January 2019 and January 2023. Trips between Toronto and Delhi noticed costs rise simply 25 per cent. Those corridors are utilized by carriers that embody China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air and Air India — all of that are exempt from Russia’s airspace ban and having fun with a decrease price per journey.

That places Air Canada and different barred airways at a aggressive drawback, mentioned Aimer, who final piloted a airplane over Russia some 20 years in the past.

“Every minute you add, the cost goes up,” he mentioned. “If you may go over the (North) Pole, you save as much as one or two hours. Now you must go a extra southerly route.

“Western airlines that do not go over Russian territory … are at a financial disadvantage,” he mentioned. “Most of the northern part of the world is Russian airspace.”

Asia is not Air Canada’s greatest market, however it’s a substantial slice. Flights to Pacific nations accounted for greater than 14 per cent of its $17.23-billion income in 2019. Moreover, journey between China and North America has been ramping up for the reason that former started to reopen after extended COVID-19 journey restrictions — which means western airways might take care of thinner margins on a crowded area.

“Many of Air Canada’s routes to Asia, India and the Middle East have had some rerouting due to the prohibition on Russian airspace,” mentioned spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick in an electronic mail. Some, similar to Vancouver-Delhi, have been suspended.

“Longer routes increase costs and fuel consumption and reduce passenger capacity and cargo loads, making certain routes uncompetitive and/or uneconomically viable.”

Industry group Airlines for America has pegged the misplaced annual market share of U.S. carriers at about US$2 billion per yr, noting that some deliberate routes have been placed on maintain due to the ban.

The group has pressed the White House and Congress to bar airways that also fly over Russia from touchdown or departing at U.S. airports — successfully subjecting these carriers to the identical restrictions going through U.S. airways.

Air Canada mentioned governments ought to “ensure there is a level playing field that provides for fair competition and equitable opportunities for all carriers,” however didn’t specify how that may translate to coverage.

Canada’s greatest provider would possibly take consolation in its profit-sharing cope with Air China, a part of a code-share settlement that sees every airline market flights operated by the opposite below its personal banner.

But Air Canada runs its personal flights to a few of Asia’s greatest air hubs, which means the journeys stay topic to Moscow’s prohibition.

“Code-shares are obviously advantageous, but not to a point that you give up that route — surrender it to a code-share partner. You’d make a little bit of money, but not as much as you would if you flew it to yourself,” Aimer mentioned.

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 23, 2023.