Russian airline Aeroflot banned from UK as sanctions imposed over Ukraine invasion
Russian flagship airline Aeroflot will be prohibited from flying within United Kingdom airspace or landing in the country, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Thursday.
The prohibition comes as part of a new round of British sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Normally, the Russian airline operates a daily flight between London and Moscow.
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The United States did not immediately implement a similar restriction on the airline as part of the slate of new sanctions President Joe Biden announced during a televised address.
Aeroflot, which along with Delta is a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, operates flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
In a statement, the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority said that it had suspended Aeroflot's foreign carrier permit "until further notice."
"This means that Aeroflot will not be permitted to operate flights to or from the United Kingdom until further notice," the statement said.
English football club Manchester United sought to end a sponsorship deal with Aeroflot, according to reports, and canceled plans to fly on an Aeroflot charter for an upcoming match in Madrid.
The White House did not immediately respond to TPG's request for comment on whether a similar prohibition would be imposed on the Russian carrier.
On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered U.S. airlines to avoid airspace over all of Ukraine, Belarus, and parts of Western Russia.
This is a developing story and will be updated.