The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia - Simple Flying

5/24/2021 Breaking: The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia - Simple Flying

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Breaking: The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia

by Emily Derrick · May 24, 2021 ·  20 shares ·  3 minute read

In response to international condemnation of an incident in Belarus, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suspended the operating permit of Belarus’s national carrier, Belavia. In addition, the CAA is requesting all UK airlines to avoid using Belarus airspace as a safety precaution.

https://simpleflying.com/uk-caa-suspends-belavia/ 1/14 5/24/2021 Breaking: The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia - Simple Flying

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The UK’s CAA has suspended the operating license of Belarus’s national carrier Belavia. Photo: Belavia

British MP and Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps conrmed the decision on Twitter just hours after airBaltic became the rst airline to divert ights away from Belarus. The move is a direct response to an incident on Sunday involving a Ryanair ight that was forced to divert and land in Belarus.

Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP @grantshapps

Following the forced diversion of a @Ryanair aircraft to Minsk yesterday, I’ve instructed @UK_CAA to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace in order to keep passengers safe. I have also suspended Belavia’s operating permit. 10:26 AM · May 24, 2021

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https://simpleflying.com/uk-caa-suspends-belavia/ 2/14 5/24/2021 Breaking: The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia - Simple Flying Authorities in Belarus claim the ight was a bomb threat, but this seems to have   been an intentional interception to arrest an opposition journalist on the ight. Since Sunday, there has been an international outcry against the forced diversion.

Following the statement by Shapps, the UK CAA posted its own notication, stating that it has suspended all air carrier permits held by Belarusian airlines until further notice.

UK Civil Aviation Authority @UK_CAA

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has published a statement regarding Belarus.

You can read the statement on our website at: caa.co.uk/News/UK-Civil-…

https://simpleflying.com/uk-caa-suspends-belavia/ 3/14 5/24/2021 Breaking: The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia - Simple Flying

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11:38 AM · May 24, 2021

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This is unlikely to aect passenger airlines, as only Belavia ies to the UK. It could potentially impact the two main cargo airlines, TransAVIAexport Airlines and Rubystar, had they been planning to y UK missions in the near future. More action to come

airBaltic was the rst airline to ocially announce it would avoid Belarus. Cyprus- based Avia Solutions swiftly followed it. Now the UK has become the rst nation to move against Belarus’ airline. However, it’s likely more will follow. The French government has requested the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) suspend all international ights over Belarusian airspace.

https://simpleflying.com/uk-caa-suspends-belavia/ 4/14 5/24/2021 Breaking: The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia - Simple Flying This Wizz Air ight clearly diverted around Belarus, as have several other airlines. Graphic:   Radarbox.com

Lithuania’s transport minister Marius Skuodis has also conrmed that LOT and Wizzair would avoid Belarusian airspace. An Austrian Airlines ight from Vienna to Moscow has also gone around Belarus instead of straight across.

In addition, any ights heading to Lithuania, no matter where they originated, will need to avoid Belarusian airspace from midnight GMT tonight. Other countries will likely follow suit and suspend Belarus’ national carrier. Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has also told Lithuanian tourists to leave Belarus.

Carrying on as normal

However, codesharing partner airline KLM has so far conrmed that although it is monitoring the situation, it was happy to continue ying as planned for now. Ryanair, the airline involved in the original incident, has not made any changes other than to say,

“We, like all the European airlines, are looking for guidance today from the European authorities and from NATO.”

Today, Ryanair ights have continued to cross Belarusian airspace. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary did denounce the move as “state-sponsored hijacking, state- sponsored piracy.”

https://simpleflying.com/uk-caa-suspends-belavia/ 5/14 5/24/2021 Breaking: The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia - Simple Flying

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The move by the CAA is more of a political statement than a real blow to the airline unless more countries also introduce bans. Photo: Belavia

While the UK’s move to block Belavia is a clear message, currently, it is little more than just that. Diverting ights around airspace costs airlines from other countries time and money. Suspending the national carrier is a much bigger step against Belarus.

However, the airline can still operate ights across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It also has codesharing agreements with multiple airlines, including Air France, Finnair, KLM, Etihad, Austrian, and S7. As a result, the current restriction isn’t a huge blow but more of a political statement.

At the time of publication, Simple Flying had reached out to Belavia for comment but had not received a response.

https://simpleflying.com/uk-caa-suspends-belavia/ 6/14 5/24/2021 Breaking: The UK CAA Suspends Belarus Flag Carrier Belavia - Simple Flying

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Emily Derrick Journalist - Emily has had a passion for writing since she was in her teens, graduating with a bachelors in English Literature before going on to specialize in travel journalism. Her appetite to investigate the future of aviation and close relationship with suppliers such as Boeing makes her a powerful asset to the Simple Flying Team. Based in Montpellier, France.

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