Canada keeps airspace open to Russian airliners

Russian airliners continue to fly through Canadian skies after several European countries shut their airspace to Russian carriers in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"At this time, Canada's airspace remains open to Russian carriers. However, the department is actively monitoring the current situation and working closely with key allies, including the United States," Transport Minister Omar Alghabra's office said in a statement to The Canadian Press on Friday night.

Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot operates multiple flights per day through Canadian airspace en route to the U.S. and beyond.

Aerospace consultant Ross Aimer says the passage marks a critical route for the airline, and that Russia would retaliate to flyover bans in kind.

"It would add hours to the flight, and sometimes make it impossible," he said of any Canadian airspace closure to Russian planes.