Business
Flights to Asia Are Finally Back, But Russia Airspace Bans Cause Onerous Detours
Altering routes to avoid flying over the nation that invaded Ukraine can add hours—and extra fuel—to an already long journey.
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For almost three long years, most global airlines were forced to strike large parts of Asia off their route maps because Covid-19 restrictions kept such markets as Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong virtually closed to tourists and business travel.
Now more countries and territories in the region are ending their pandemic-era travel curbs and quarantines—but few in the aviation world are rushing to add capacity to meet the expected upswing in traditionally lucrative long-haul travel. That’s because quarantines and lockdowns have since been replaced by another major obstacle: closed-off Russian airspace.