Canada ordered two Russian flights from its airspace on Monday after an aircraft that it identified as a “humane” flight violated a Russian aircraft ban, air traffic control services said.
Canada has banned Russian planes from entering airspace from Sunday as part of severe sanctions imposed on Moscow in response to a provocative invasion of Ukraine.
However, on the same day, Aeroflot’s flight AFL111 violated the ban after declaring it a humanitarian flight. Under normal circumstances, Canada’s air traffic control service NAV CANADA does not have the authority to deny airspace access to aircraft declaring humanitarian flight.
Other Russian planes attempting to enter Canadian airspace departed from US airports.
NAV CANADA, along with regulator Transport Canada, has instructed all air traffic control units to deny access to the airspace of all identifiable Russian planes. The only exception to this ban is prior approval by the Ministry of Transport.
In the event of another breach, NAV CANADA will direct the offending plane to the nearest airport, notify regulators and immediately report to Canada’s air defense sector and regulators.
To Rachna Dhanrajani When Denny Thomas
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