British Airways has suspended all flights to Moscow and within Russian airspace, following the news that Russia is imposing a ban on all UK flights.
Russia has announced a ban on all UK planes, in a move that came as retaliation after the UK banned any flights from Russian carrier Aeroflot to and from the UK, following the invasion of Ukraine.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted last night: "I've signed restrictions prohibiting all scheduled #Russian airlines from entering UK airspace or touching down on British soil. Putin's heinous actions will not be ignored, and we will never tolerate those who put people’s lives in danger."
In retaliation, Russia has now banned all UK flights from landing or using its airspace.
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Following the news, British Airways has issued a statement for passengers with flights which will be affected by the restrictions. The airline said it would contact affected passengers.
The company said: "We have suspended our flights to Moscow and also the use of Russian airspace, following the confirmation of Russian government restrictions.
"We apologise for the inconvenience but this is clearly a matter beyond our control. We are notifying customers on cancelled services and are offering a full refund. We will continue to monitor the situation closely."
British Airways doesn't offer flights to many Russian destinations; in fact, it only serves Moscow routes three times a week.
The airline also said that some of its other flights may be rerouted, which could result in longer flight times for passengers.
Following the Russian invasion, Ukraine's airspace has been closed.
As part of a bulletin regarding Ukraine airspace, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has warned that "critical infrastructure, including airports, are exposed to military activities which result in safety risks for civil aircraft", adding that "in particular, there is a risk of both intentional targeting and misidentification of civil aircraft".
British Airways has not operated flights to Ukraine or within its airspace for years, but airlines which do usually operate routes to the country such as Wizz Air and Ryanair have announced that they are suspending flights, with customers being offered options such as refunds and rebookings.
There are also some flight restrictions to neighbouring countries such as Moldova and Belarus currently in place.
If you're due to travel to a destination that would usually go through Ukraine or Moscow airspace, it's likely that your flight will be rerouted, which could mean longer travel time.
