Air Serbia increases flights to Moscow

Undermining to some extent the EU's closure of airspace to Russia, Air Serbia has increased flights and the country has not followed the EU's lead on airspace.

Reminder: countries wishing to join the Union are expected to align on foreign policy.

 

Air Serbia increases flights to Moscow

 

betabriefing.com, EURACTIV.rs and exit.al 7:05

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/air-serbia-increases-flights-to-moscow/?utm_content=1646381700&utm_medium=EURACTIV&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3gKe5fjjt9KEz-UJFkQo5L2JWDlnaulULR6s9qNSazciGE3gjAY_BD3Dc

 

EU countries, candidate countries and the UK all banned Russian flagged aircraft from landing in their airports or traversing their skies as a part of wide-ranging sanctions designed to impact the Kremlin.

 

As Europe and Western Balkan countries like Albania and North Macedonia close their airspace to Russian aircraft following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Serbia has decided to increase flights instead.

 

EU countries, candidate countries and the UK all banned Russian flagged aircraft from landing in their airports or traversing their skies as a part of wide-ranging sanctions designed to impact the Kremlin.

 

But Serbia, the only country in Europe asides from Belarus who has failed to put sanctions on Russia, has stepped up flights between the two countries.

 

According to the Air Serbia website, 15 flights between Belgrade and Moscow are now on the schedule, up from eight before the war broke out last week. While flights continue to take off and land, flight times have increased due to the avoidance of Ukraine airspace.

 

This means that flights from Russia can come to Serbia, and those onboard can then access the European Union.

 

According to Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti, most travellers from Europe choose to fly with big airlines via the Middle East, but Air Serbia’s three-hour flight is much shorter.