Taiwanese airlines resume Russian airspace use for Europe flights

Airlines from Taiwan have started using Russian airspace again, nearly five years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to One Mile at a Time. The change appears to have taken effect at the start of the IATA winter season on 25 October 2026 and affects Taiwan-Europe services. The reason is not officially confirmed, but the blog points to a possible Pakistani airspace ban on Taiwanese carriers.

What changed

Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration had voluntarily barred Taiwanese airlines from Russian airspace, though they were never formally banned by Russia. One Mile at a Time says that restriction appears to have been lifted as the winter season began.

The first visible example was China Airlines flight CI75 from Taipei to Rome on 24 October. According to the report, the flight operated almost entirely over Russia, having taken off late at night so that it was already 25 October when it entered Russian airspace. Previously, the flight typically went much further south, over India, Pakistan and Turkmenistan.

Is Pakistan the cause?

One Mile at a Time notes that some Taiwanese media attribute the move to a risk assessment concluding the ban was no longer necessary. The blog adds that winter headwinds on southerly westbound routings are strong, so flying over Russia could potentially save about an hour.

However, it cites Enilria as suggesting that Pakistan banned Taiwanese airlines from its airspace from 25 October. The author could not find an official notice, but says the flight paths fit. China Airlines flight CI81 from Taipei to London consistently crossed Pakistan before that date. Taiwanese airlines cannot overfly mainland China, so without Pakistan the options are north via Russia or south via the Middle East. The report says Europe flights not using Russia have been routed over the Middle East, a few miles from the Strait of Hormuz.

The suggested motive is that China, which has close relations with Pakistan, pressured Islamabad. That is the blog's interpretation rather than a confirmed fact.

What this means for travellers

• Flight times: Routings over Russia could shorten westbound flights to Europe, potentially by around an hour in winter, according to One Mile at a Time. Official schedule changes have not been reported in the source.
• Routings vary: Some Europe services may use Russia, while others go via the Middle East. Which flights use which path is not yet clear.
• US routes: The report expects most Taiwanese carriers' US routes to avoid Russian airspace, because the United States does not let US carriers codeshare on flights using it.

It remains to be seen how widely Taiwanese airlines will use Russian airspace, and whether Pakistan or Taiwan will issue official statements.

Sources: One Mile at a Time