Airlines suspend travel over Belarus hijack

Multiple Airlines are rerouting flight paths to avoid Belarus airspace

Belarusian planes are facing a possible ban from several European countries.

This comes among mounting international outrage after the nation allegedly hijacked a plane earlier this week.

The Ryanair jet was flying from Greece to Lithuania when it was forced to land so officials could arrest a journalist onboard.

The United Nations say the world should be ‘furious’

Ukraine and Poland are among the countries stopping all flights to and from Belarus. Meanwhile, the UK is preventing Belarusian airlines from entering its airspace.

Air France and Finnair have both announced they will suspend flights to the country. KLM Airlines, Lufthansa and SAS have also announced similar suspensions. Singapore Airlines is also now saying it will reroute flights to avoid Belarus.

Some 400 flights use Belarusian airspace daily and 100 of these are by EU or UK carriers.

Ryanair jet diversion sparks international outrage

The 26-year-old Belarusian journalist and activist Roman Protasevich is a vocal critic of his president and his regime.

Earlier this week, Belarusian officials pulled Protasevich from the Ryanair passenger plane.

In a statement, Ryanair says Belarus air traffic control informed pilots of a “potential security threat onboard.” Air traffic control allegedly ordered the airline to make an emergency landing.