Last updated: March 28, 2026
· Re-checked 3h ago
Russian airspace closed to all Western and most Asian carriers since February 2022. The single largest structural disruption to Europe–Asia aviation in decades.
The closure forces every affected airline to reroute via Central Asia, the Gulf, or south of Iran. Pre-closure, a London–Tokyo overflight took ~12 hours. Current routings via Central Asia run 14–15 hours, and Gulf alternatives 15–17 hours. The knock-on effect is severe congestion in the Central Asian corridor, which now handles traffic volumes it was not designed for.
Routes that use this area
London → Hong Kong
Via Central Asian Corridor (Direct)
London → Tokyo
Via Beijing
Paris → Tokyo
Via Central Asian Corridor (Direct)
Paris → Tokyo
Via Beijing
Frankfurt → Hong Kong
Lufthansa Direct (Central Asian Routing)
Paris → Hong Kong
Via Central Asian Corridor (Direct)
Frankfurt → Tokyo
Lufthansa Direct (Central Asian Routing)
Frankfurt → Tokyo
Via Beijing
Amsterdam → Hong Kong
KLM Direct (Central Asian Routing)
Amsterdam → Tokyo
KLM Direct (Central Asian Routing)
Amsterdam → Tokyo
Via Beijing
London → Seoul
Korean Air Direct
+31 more routes use this area
Areas affected
This is based on official flight warnings. We do not provide real-time safety data or tell you which flights to take.
Check with your airline and your government's travel advice before booking.