United suspends some India flights after Russia overflight ban

United Airlines planes, including a Boeing 737 MAX 9 model, are pictured at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, U.S., March 18, 2019. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Reuters) – United Airlines said on Monday it has indefinitely suspended two flights to India after halting flights that flew over Russia last week.

The Chicago-based airline said last week it had stopped service between San Francisco and Delhi and between Newark, New Jersey, and Mumbai. The airline said it plans to continueflying to Delhi from both Chicago and Newark.

The Biden administration last week joined the European Union and Canada in banning Russian airlines from U.S. airspace.

United’s last Delhi-to-San Francisco and Mumbai-to-Newark flights were on March 2. The Mumbai flight had to stop in Bangor, Maine, on the way to Newark. United’s last U.S.-departing legs of those two flights to India were on Feb. 28.

Without access to Russian airspace some international flights to Asia are taking significantly longer routes and some must make a stop. Prior to the current turmoil, about 1,000 U.S. flights a week — including many cargo flights — typically flew over Russia, officials said.

Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie Adler

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.