KLM will immediately stop all code-sharing flights with Aeroflot, a KLM spokesperson reported to Dutch aviation news site Luchtvaartnieuws on Saturday evening. Both airlines are part of the Skyteam alliance.
Another Skyteam member, Delta Air Lines announced on Friday that it had withdrawn its codeshare agreement with Russian flag carrier Aeroflot with immediate effect, due to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
“We have removed our code from Aeroflot-operated services beyond Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport and removed Aeroflot’s code from Delta-operated services from Los Angeles and New York-JFK,” the airline wrote in a statement.
KLM also decided to cancel all flights to, from and over Russia. Two of its flights were called back to Amsterdam earlier today after almost reaching their destination (Moscow and St. Petersburg) in Russia. Hereunder is the KLM press release:
KLM cancelling flights to Russia
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has decided to cancel all flights to Russia scheduled for departure in the next seven days. KLM will also cease operating flights that pass over Russian territory en route to other destinations in the same period.
This decision was prompted by sanctions agreed upon by EU states, stipulating that no spare aircraft parts may be sent to Russia, even if they are intended for the airline in question.
This means KLM can no longer guarantee that flights to Russia or passing over Russian territory can return safely. Alternatives are currently being sought for flights scheduled to pass over Russian territory en route to other destinations.
Amstelveen, 26 February 2022
