Russia is upping the ante on the European air wars. At least two European airlines were forced to cancel flights to Russia on Thursday after they were denied permission to enter Russian airspace, as they sought to reroute to avoid flying over Belarus. Airlines are bypassing Belarus after a Ryanair flight was essentially hijacked and forced to land in Minsk on Sunday in a ploy to arrest an opposition journalist who was on board.
On Wednesday, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency urged European carriers to avoid Belarusian airspace over safety concerns. A Belarusian fighter jet was scrambled to accompany the Ryanair flight to Minsk after pilots were falsely warned by Belarusian air traffic controllers that there was a bomb on board.
