It has emerged that sanctions placed by the Ukrainian government on Russian airlines will lead to vastly increased costs to the industry. 

Last week, the Ukraine barred Russian airlines from flying over Ukrainian territory, which will extend flight times by up to an hour on some routes.

The airlines affected by the sanctions include; Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Transaero, VIM Airlines, Rossiya, Ural Airlines and Orenair. Routes particularly affected include those to Turkey which is a very popular destination for Russian tourists.

The details of the restrictions were initially not clear, and reports suggest Russian airlines are still flying routes over the Ukraine as normal.

In August of last year, Russia imposed similar sanctions on Ukrainian airlines on routes to the Caucasus. The Ukraine’s response more than a year on, also targeted a number of other Russian companies and individuals from doing business in the country.