From Financial Times:

https://www.ft.com/content/9a24a4b3-a3fa-4a37-b783-cbe393461473

Aeroflot Russian Airlines is afraid its leased aircraft will be seized overseas.

The flag carrier of Russia has announced it will halt all international flights except to Belarus starting on March 8.

Read more from the AP:

The Russian ruble has nose dived in value. It is basically worthless against the U.S. dollar. The value of the ruble has plummeted to less than 1 U.S. cent.

More from The Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/03/03/russia-ruble-putin-sanctions/

No reservations … No airline.

Sabre Corporation, a leading software and technology company in the travel industry, today announced that it has terminated its distribution agreement with Aeroflot, the largest government-majority owned carrier in Russia. Sabre is taking immediate steps to remove Aeroflot flight content from its global distribution system (GDS), a marketplace used by travel agencies, travel websites and corporations around the world to shop, book and service flight reservations.

“Sabre has been monitoring the evolving situation in Ukraine with increasing concern. From the beginning, our primary focus has been the safety of our team members in the impacted region, as well as doing our part to support the much-needed relief efforts,” said Sean Menke, CEO of Sabre. “We are taking a stand against this military conflict. We are complying, and will continue to comply, with sanctions imposed against Russia. In addition, today we announced that Sabre has terminated its distribution agreement with Aeroflot, removing its content from our GDS.”

The Company will continue to monitor the ongoing situation and will evaluate whether additional actions would be appropriate, taking into account legal considerations and any counter measures that could be implemented in response.

To help support humanitarian programs in the region, Sabre, which has approximately 1,500 team members in Poland, has donated $1 million to the Polish Red Cross, a 100-year charity that does exemplary work in conflict zones and for supporting displaced people. The funds donated by Sabre will be used by the Polish Red Cross to purchase, among other materials, much-needed food, hygiene products and sleeping bags, and will support the provision of medical assistance to those seeking shelter in Poland.

Airspace bans against Russian airlines are working.

However some Russian tourists may have trouble getting home. Some may be stranded for a while. Certainly this pales to what Ukrainian citizens are facing. Their lives and homes are at stake due to Russian aggression against Ukraine. Many have been forced to flee the country.

According to TASS, Russian tour operators calculate the number of Russian tourists outside of Russia to be currently over 150,000, with some 27,000 in countries directly affected by air travel bans.

In addition, Russian airlines may be forced to return their leased aircraft.

Boeing said it was suspending aircraft parts, maintenance and technical support for Russian airlines as the effect of sanctions in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ripple across the global aviation industry according to Reuters.

Airbus followed and did the same.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines announced today it is suspending all flights to the United States, Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic due to Canadian airspace restrictions.

Aeroflot is going to have a lot of aircraft on the ground.

Announcement on social media:

Due to the closure of Canadian airspace, Aeroflot’s transatlantic flights from February 28 to March 2, 2022 to and from Moscow to the following destinations have been cancelled:
– Mexico (Cancun — SU158/159);
– USA (Los Angeles — SU108/109; Miami — SU110/111; New York — SU102/103 and SU124/125; Washington — SU104/105);
– Cuba (Havana — SU150/151; Varadero — SU154/155);
– Dominican Republic (Punta Cana — SU156/157).

Aeroflot Russian Airlines has made this announcement:

Due to the closure of airspace of a number of European countries Aeroflot cancels flights and suspends flights to the following destinations:

• Ljubljana (Slovenia) – until March 26
• Sofia (Bulgaria) – until May 24
• Bucharest (Romania) – until March 26
• Riga (Latvia) – until March 26
• Prague (Czech Republic) – until March 26
• Warsaw (Poland) – until May 25th
• London* (United Kingdom) – until May 23
• Dublin* (Ireland) – until May 23
• Chisinau (Moldova) – until March 4

Russian airlines are facing stiff air closures for their aircraft heading west.

Why is Aeroflot allowed to fly to the United States?

Meanwhile the Russian economy is reeling. The Rouble is slumping in value.

From the BBC:

Aeroflot Russian Airlines and other Russian airlines are going to find it very difficult to fly to western Europe. They are rightly being isolated.

The new number of European countries banning Russian aircraft has grown overnight.

Countries that have either closed or announced they are closing their airspace to Russian aircraft:

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Canada

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

European Union (EU)

Finland

France

Germany

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Malta

Montenegro

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

United Kingdom

United States

A total European Union airspace ban is expected later today.