OTTAWA — Transport Canada says it will look into how a Russian airline broke a ban on that country's planes in Canadian airspace.
In a Twitter post Sunday night, the department said Aeroflot flight 111 violated the prohibition that was imposed earlier in the day in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
According to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, the flight by Russia's flagship carrier took off for Moscow from Miami shortly after 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, about six hours after Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced the airspace ban.
The European Union also implemented a ban on Russian commercial aircraft and private planes Sunday, a move that added to sanctions against major Russian banks and individuals.
Until Sunday, Aeroflot operated multiple flights per day through Canadian airspace en route to the U.S. and beyond, but had no routes that landed in Canada.
Transport Canada says it will launch a review of the conduct of Aeroflot and Nav Canada, the non-profit body that runs the country’s civil air navigation service.
"We will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action and other measures to prevent future violations," the department stated.
The transport minister met with Nav Canada CEO Raymond Bohn on Monday to discuss the breach, said Alghabra spokeswoman Valérie Glazer.
As the plane entered Canadian skies, Aeroflot declared the voyage a humanitarian flight, which requires special treatment but in this case triggers "serious concerns," the government said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2022.
