What countries can airlines NOT fly over nowadays?
#16
Join Date: Nov 2009
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I noticed that on my LAX-ICN flight a couple months back, we avoided NK land altogether, but what I didn't know at the time was that we were still flying over their airspace. Good map!
#17
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: California
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The other thing that was unstated in the article (from which the map came from) is that there seems to be a choice of overflights to get to ICN from North America:
a. Russia and North Korea (land). Probably not allowed at any price by North Korea.
b. Russia and North Korea (sea territory). Used by the "Kamchatka Route".
c. Russia and China (land). China probably charges too much or does not let overflights at any price (note that even Hong Kong SAR based Cathay Pacific avoids overflying China land other than the Hong Kong SAR when flying from HKG to non-China destinations). Otherwise, it may be an attractive way to fly from the "Kamchatka Route" but go over China to end up west of the Korean peninsula where ICN is.
d. Japan. Used by the "North Pacific Route" which is 30-60 minutes slower than the "Kamchatka Route", according to the map.
e. Russia and Japan (sea territory). Would be a longer version of the "Kamchatka Route".
f. No overflights. Not sure if it is possible to avoid overflying any other country by flying south of Japan (since Japan controls some islands in the area and other islands in the area are disputed), but it would likely add quite a bit of flying time even if it were possible.
a. Russia and North Korea (land). Probably not allowed at any price by North Korea.
b. Russia and North Korea (sea territory). Used by the "Kamchatka Route".
c. Russia and China (land). China probably charges too much or does not let overflights at any price (note that even Hong Kong SAR based Cathay Pacific avoids overflying China land other than the Hong Kong SAR when flying from HKG to non-China destinations). Otherwise, it may be an attractive way to fly from the "Kamchatka Route" but go over China to end up west of the Korean peninsula where ICN is.
d. Japan. Used by the "North Pacific Route" which is 30-60 minutes slower than the "Kamchatka Route", according to the map.
e. Russia and Japan (sea territory). Would be a longer version of the "Kamchatka Route".
f. No overflights. Not sure if it is possible to avoid overflying any other country by flying south of Japan (since Japan controls some islands in the area and other islands in the area are disputed), but it would likely add quite a bit of flying time even if it were possible.
#19
Join Date: May 2004
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#20
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#22
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Northern Nevada
Programs: DL,EK
Posts: 1,652
A number of airlines fly to Sudan, admittedly none from USA.
From how to get to | Sudan - bmi, Egyptair, Lufthansa, Turkish, Royal Jordanian, Kenya, KLM, Emirates, and others.
From how to get to | Sudan - bmi, Egyptair, Lufthansa, Turkish, Royal Jordanian, Kenya, KLM, Emirates, and others.
#23
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Northern Nevada
Programs: DL,EK
Posts: 1,652
I was on this flight last month and while we did not fly over Iran (we stayed a few miles west of it), I can see that depending on wind it'd be done. When I flew EK DXB-JFK we flew over Iran.
#24
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
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#25
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Naperville, IL
Programs: UA, AA, CO, KE
Posts: 295
The other thing that was unstated in the article (from which the map came from) is that there seems to be a choice of overflights to get to ICN from North America:
a. Russia and North Korea (land). Probably not allowed at any price by North Korea.
b. Russia and North Korea (sea territory). Used by the "Kamchatka Route".
c. Russia and China (land). China probably charges too much or does not let overflights at any price (note that even Hong Kong SAR based Cathay Pacific avoids overflying China land other than the Hong Kong SAR when flying from HKG to non-China destinations). Otherwise, it may be an attractive way to fly from the "Kamchatka Route" but go over China to end up west of the Korean peninsula where ICN is.
d. Japan. Used by the "North Pacific Route" which is 30-60 minutes slower than the "Kamchatka Route", according to the map.
e. Russia and Japan (sea territory). Would be a longer version of the "Kamchatka Route".
f. No overflights. Not sure if it is possible to avoid overflying any other country by flying south of Japan (since Japan controls some islands in the area and other islands in the area are disputed), but it would likely add quite a bit of flying time even if it were possible.
a. Russia and North Korea (land). Probably not allowed at any price by North Korea.
b. Russia and North Korea (sea territory). Used by the "Kamchatka Route".
c. Russia and China (land). China probably charges too much or does not let overflights at any price (note that even Hong Kong SAR based Cathay Pacific avoids overflying China land other than the Hong Kong SAR when flying from HKG to non-China destinations). Otherwise, it may be an attractive way to fly from the "Kamchatka Route" but go over China to end up west of the Korean peninsula where ICN is.
d. Japan. Used by the "North Pacific Route" which is 30-60 minutes slower than the "Kamchatka Route", according to the map.
e. Russia and Japan (sea territory). Would be a longer version of the "Kamchatka Route".
f. No overflights. Not sure if it is possible to avoid overflying any other country by flying south of Japan (since Japan controls some islands in the area and other islands in the area are disputed), but it would likely add quite a bit of flying time even if it were possible.
South Korea has normalized relations with China and KE and OZ fly to several Chinese cities, so I can't imagine flying over China is a big deal. Same with Russia.
Oh, and I agree that the fees listed above must be in KRW, so divide by 1000 for a rough USD equivalent.
#27
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: California
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In other words, there may be other reasons why an airline might (sometimes) be unable to fly over China.
#28
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 739