Do you fly over Russia to get to Japan?

The normal flightpath crosses Scandinavia and then follows the north coast of Russia for around 2,000 miles before turning south and crossing Siberia and the Sea of Japan. It benefits from the prevailing jet stream, enabling it to average almost 550mph.



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Airspace over Ukraine is devoid of commercial airline traffic as planes use corridors well to the south of the country.

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15, 2022. United Airlines Holdings Inc. Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby said flying over Russia constitutes a risk that many carriers including his own won't take, while airlines from China or India enjoy a competitive advantage as they continue to traverse the airspace.

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The polar route
Chinese airlines aren't the only ones still using Russian airspace. Air India, for example, flies over Russia for its direct flights from India to the United States. Middle Eastern airlines, like Emirates, also continue to fly over Russia on their North American routes.

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Russia has barred U.S. airlines and other foreign carriers from flying over its airspace, in retaliation for Washington banning Russian flights over the U.S. in March 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine.

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There are several reasons why, but the big two are to do with the curvature of the earth and the jet streams. Guessing that it was a safety precaution wouldn't be entirely wrong either, as when planning a route many pilots prefer to maximize the number of airports along their flight path.

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An average nonstop flight from the United States to Russia takes 19h 45m, covering a distance of 5293 miles.

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Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air India and Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Cargo, and most Chinese carriers have continued to fly over and to Russia.

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