Airspace blocked: Russian planes are standing around in Germany

A total of ten aircraft subject to Russian control are parked at five German airports.

Airspace blocked: Russian planes are standing around in Germany

A total of ten aircraft subject to Russian control are parked at five German airports. Due to the sanctions, they are not allowed to start. Not even spare parts are allowed for Antonov, Bombardier, Boeing, Cessna, Embraer and Airbus machines.

Five and a half months after the blocking of EU airspace for Russian aircraft, ten aircraft owned or controlled by Russia are still at German airfields. This affects five different airports, as reported by the editorial network Germany, citing the Federal Ministry of Transport. "Since the machines are subject to a take-off and flight ban due to the EU sanctions regime, they cannot be used by the owner and cannot be taken to another location," the ministry said.

According to the information, there are three Russian Antonov AN-124 machines in Leipzig. In Cologne there is a Bombardier BD-100-1A10 Challenger 300 and a Boeing 737. In Frankfurt-Hahn there is a Boeing 747. In Baden-Baden there are four machines: a Cessna 750 Citation X, two Embraer ERJ machines -135BJ Legacy 600 and a Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express XRS. According to the ministry, there is also an Airbus A320 aircraft in Munich whose leasing contract with a Russian airline has ended.

Despite the sanctions, maintenance work that serves to "temporarily secure" the machines may be carried out. These include towing to a parking position or securing against unauthorized access. "Further maintenance work and the provision of spare parts are not permitted under the sanctions provisions," the RND quoted the Ministry of Transport as saying.

In response to Russia's attack on Ukraine, Germany had closed the airspace to Russian aircraft on the decision of Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing. The ban went into effect on February 27. The entire European Union had also closed its airspace.