Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport

Aviation Trends, Air Traffic Control and Drone Activity: Discussion

1:30 pm

Mr. Philip Hughes:

Yes, all European airlines. Turkey is exempt, so a lot of traffic comes from Russia down via Turkey. Chinese airlines are still flying through Russia. Some of the major flag carriers have said they are at a competitive disadvantage because their flights to wherever they are going, such as Japan, are three hours longer than they would be if going through Russia. The circumstances have created an inefficiency in the system and have also meant we are more dependent on routes that go through the Middle East, trans-Caucasia and India.