Flying around Russia is testing airlines’ climate targets

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on Skift or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Airlines’ efforts to meet climate targets are being undermined by geopolitical airspace restrictions
• Since Russia closed its airspace to European carriers in 2022, flights between Europe and Northeast Asia have become longer, consuming more fuel and generating significantly higher emissions

🔭 The context: Finnair flights to Northeast Asia now take around one-third longer than before the restrictions
• According to Skailark analysis, airlines barred from or avoiding Russian airspace burn 13.8% more fuel per flight than competitors still using it
• The analysis compared identical routes and aircraft types across 2019 and March 2025–June 2026, isolating the impact of rerouting

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The detours generate an additional 1.53 million metric tons of CO₂ annually, equivalent to 12% of the emissions from the flights analysed
• Longer routes demonstrate how geopolitical constraints can increase aviation’s carbon footprint, complicating airlines’ decarbonisation strategies

⏭️ What’s next: Airlines would need to continue navigating airspace restrictions while pursuing efficiency improvements and emissions-reduction commitments
• The growing gap between operational realities and climate targets raises questions about how the aviation sector can deliver meaningful decarbonisation amid persistent geopolitical uncertainty

📈 One stat: 13.8% — the additional fuel consumed per flight by airlines unable to use Russian airspace, compared with carriers still flying over it

*Subscribe to our free newsletters to never miss a beat in sustainability.

The world needs sustainability knowledge. At illuminem, no interest group or shareholder can influence our work. Thank you for supporting our mission to make high-quality and independent sustainability information free for all. Every contribution helps. Thank you for donating today.