Some 2 months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian state-owned carrier Aeroflot has been temporarily suspended from the SkyTeam Alliance.
That means for example you wouldn’t be able use Delta miles to book travel on Aeroflot and Aeroflot elites wouldn’t get benefits when flying on Delta.
Most of Aeroflot’s fleet is owned by foreign leasing companies, but the airline has refused to return the planes and has stopped flying them internationally in order to avoid having them repossessed.
This comes after privately owned Russian carrier S7 was suspended from the OneWorld alliance last week.
The only question is why did these suspensions take so long?
I showed up to the airport and my flight switched on me without them informing me (landing on shabbos) any chance I’m gonna get my money back?
“The only question is why did these suspensions take so long?”
Because contrary to what many in the West assume, the world is not even remotely united on punishing Russia.
Other airlines/governments have a say in OneWorld and Skyteam decision making besides AA, DL, BA and AF-KLM
What a question to end off with. As if everything else about this war is already straightened out…
Such as Climate Change (aka John Kerry)
Yes, Skyteam will not give Aeroflot flyers miles to punish them for the invasion, but they will gladly buy oil from the Russian government that uses these money to buy new weapons.
That is correct. Like masks, this is all for theater.
Why would they return the planes when they have already paid the leasing fees?
They aren’t paying the leasing fees, though that’s because they have been sanctioned and can’t.
In both links it says s7 and aeroflot “agreed” to a suspension.
I wonder what’s in it for them.