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Air France cancelled two more flights to Moscow on Monday after Russian authorities failed to approve flight plans that avoid Belarus airspace. The EU has urged its airlines to avoid Belarus amid outrage over the forced landing of a Ryanair jet en route to Lithuania from Greece on May 23 and the arrest of a dissident journalist on board. "Air France confirms the cancellation of flights AF1154 and AF1654 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Moscow on 31 May 2021 as the authorisations from Russian authorities to enter their territory have not been granted," the airline said. The French airline was forced to cancel two Paris-Moscow flights last week after receiving no Russian clearance for flight plans skirting the territory. Obstacles to rerouted Air France flights appeared to have been resolved late last week, allowing Air France to carry out two weekend Paris-Moscow services. But the latest setbacks occurred after Air France resubmitted routes avoiding Belarus for approval as part of a seasonal renewal process, an Air France spokesman said.<br/>

Aeroflot has formally inaugurated its new international hub at Krasnoyarsk, intended to complement its Moscow Sheremetyevo base. It intends to open services from 1 June, with the first flight SU2878 operating to Blagoveshchensk. Blagoveshchensk will be one of five initial routes on the Krasnoyarsk network which will also include Krasnodar, Simferopol, Sochi and Irkutsk. Boeing 737-800s will be stationed at the hub, although the inauguration event featured a newly-delivered Aeroflot Airbus A321neo. Aeroflot expects over 100,000 passengers to use the hub over the summer season. “The [Krasnoyarsk] hub means new opportunities for our passengers, reduced travel time and fewer connections per trip,” says CE Mikhail Poluboyarinov.<br/>