Why do airlines get banned from certain countries? | Aviation

Airspace bans can have a huge effect on the airlines on the receiving end, or in the case of politics, those who are caught in the crossfire. This can often lead to significant increases in flight times, and often the cancellation of routes entirely. Flights from Europe to East Asia have been drastically increased in length due to Russia’s actions. British Airways flights to Tokyo add a few more hours to the journey, going through the Middle East. The return journey isn’t much better, as it goes above North America. British Airways announced on August 8th 2024 that it would stop flights to Beijing, a route which it has been operating since 1980. This is because, like several European airlines, it can’t keep up with Chinese airlines who can fly over Russia.