Russian airlines lose another US partner
Russian carriers S7 and Aeroflot will take a hit from Alaska and American airlines
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Alaska Airlines is the latest U.S. carrier to temporarily cut ties with Russian airlines S7 and Aeroflot in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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"We are deeply concerned by the humanitarian crisis taking place in Ukraine," Alaska Airlines said in a statement.
As a result, the carrier said its "temporarily suspending" its partnership with the S7. Alaska Airlines customers are no longer able to earn miles on S7. Alaska also said its "ongoing work to enable redemptions on S7 will also stop."
An aircraft at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
However, the carrier is also suspending its "limited interline relationships" with S7 and Aeroflot. Interline ticketing means passengers can get tickets for competing airlines, in this case, S7 and Aeroflot, if their flight is disrupted by things such as bad weather.
Aeroflot, which is based at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, is the country's largest airline, carrying 4.6 million passengers in the first four months of 2021 alone, according to its website. Meanwhile, S7 is the largest private airline in Russia with an "extensive network of routes" to 181 cities in 26 countries across the world, according to its website.
Both carriers are also part of the Oneworld global aviation alliance, which unites airlines from all continents.
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A passenger talks on the phone as American Airlines jets sit parked at their gates at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh / AP Newsroom)
Earlier this week, American Airlines issued an internal note, obtained by FOX Business, stating that it was "indefinitely" suspending its interline agreements with Aeroflot and S7, including its Oneworld Frequent Flier Program with the latter.
MAJOR US AIRLINES SUSPEND FLYING OVER RUSSIAN AIRSPACE
As the war persists, U.S. passenger carriers United, Delta and American, have also suspended flying through Russian airspace. Although the airlines don't fly directly to Russia, some flights pass through Russian airspace in order to get to places such as India or Seoul.
For instance, American re-rerouted its flight between Delhi, India, and New York.
Cargo airlines FedEx and UPS, both of which fly over Russia, also announced over the weekend that they were temporarily suspending deliveries to the country.