MOSCOW, August 12 (RIA Novosti) -Finland’s Transport and Communications Ministry is developing an action plan in the event that Russia restricts European airlines from using trans-Siberian routes, Finnish broadcasting company Yle reported Tuesday.
Finnish Transport Minister Paula Risikko told local journalists that a possible closure of the Russian airspace will affect not only the country’s flagship airline Finnair but also the Finavia corporation, responsible for maintaining Finland’s airports and its air traffic system.
According to Risikko, the Finnish government is taking possible restrictions very seriously, and the Transport Ministry is currently working on an action plan.
Last week, Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported that the Russian authorities are considering imposing restrictions or a ban on European airlines flying from Europe to Asia through Russian territory. According to the newspaper, the Russian foreign and transport ministries are currently discussing the measure.
On August 7, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev confirmed that Russia is considering closing its airspace to EU and US airlines as part of countermeasures to Western economic sanctions. On August 11, the Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said that a decision on the possible restriction of the flights had not yet been made.
