FAA downgraded Russia’s aviation safety rating

Russian aviation safety rating has been downgraded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), restricting any expansion of service or partnership for Russian airlines.

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The aviation authority stated that, according to IASA assessments, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency does not meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards.

The new classification comes on top of the European Commission’s announcement that it added 21 Russian airlines to the EU Air Safety List, banning them from operating within the European Union, in early April.

This week, S7 Airlines «temporarily» suspended its Oneworld alliance.

What changes will there be for Russian airlines?

Under the new categorization, Russian airlines will not be able to start new services to the U.S., will be restricted to current levels of existing service to the U.S., and cannot carry the U.S. airline code on any flights.

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Their previous rating, Category 1, means that the country’s civil aviation authority complies with ICAO standards. This rating allows air carriers from that country to establish services to the United States and carry the code of U.S. carriers through code-share agreements.

Currently, no airline operates scheduled flights between Russia and the United States since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.