For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By kanga
#1849040
Cessna571 wrote:
Miscellaneous wrote:UK airlines to avoid Belarus airspace.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57232988


I read that story and wondered why it’s being reported as a positive action against Belarus.

..


presumably, they levy a transit Navigation charge for overflights .. However, preventing landings or overflight by their national airline might hurt more financially, especially if levied across the EU, and (we may hope ?) UK. I'm guessing that their domestic routes and those to/from Russia (Ukraine ? Moldova ? Armenia ? ..) earn rather less in worthwhile currencies.
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By eltonioni
#1849062
Does anyone recall what sanctions were placed on France when the Bolivian president was forced to land due to French government refusal to allow overflight? It's all a bit pot / kettle. The really serious issue is the lengths they have gone to in order to detain a troublesome journalist. Sanctions won't hurt the despots (Harrods shopping trips aside) and barring flights only hurts everyone else.
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By akg1486
#1849082
A video of the standard format where he "confesses" to his "crimes" has been released. That's mainly for internal use in Belarus; not intended to fool anyone in the West.
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By kanga
#1849198
eltonioni wrote:Does anyone recall what sanctions were placed on France when the Bolivian president was forced to land due to French government refusal to allow overflight? ...


France has 'form'; from a BBC correspondent with an evidently long memory:

"The hijacking of a passenger plane in Belarus' air space has shocked many around the world but it was not an unprecedented act in the history of civil aviation.

The first recorded air piracy was committed by French authorities in order to arrest the leaders of the Algerian independence movement, the FLN.

On 22 October 1956 five FLN leaders including Ahmed Ben Bella, the country's first president, were on a civilian flight from Rabat in Morocco to Tunis to take part in a conference on the future of the Maghreb hosted by then Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba.

The French secret service, who had intelligence about the flight, sent fighter jets to intercept the passenger plane and forced it to land on a military airport in Algeria, which was under French occupation.

The hijacking of the Moroccan aircraft and the arrest of the Algerian political leaders sparked anger in Morocco and Tunisia."
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1849210
The world was a rather different place in 1956 :-) and so were the circumstances.

None of the colonial powers is without a stain or two:-)
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By eltonioni
#1849218
* checks google * :study:

1956 is indeed another world but France (in collusion) forced the Bolivian El Presidente to land in 2013. :guns:

In a televised address late Tuesday night, Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera described Morales as a "hostage of imperialism."
"The president has been kidnapped by imperialism, and he is being held in Europe," he said, calling for workers worldwide to protest "this act of imperial arrogance."
https://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/02/world/americas/bolivia-presidential-plane/index.html
#1849219
johnm wrote:
None of the colonial powers is without a stain or two:-)

Perhaps you would be kind enough to point to any country that is "without a stain or two"? Why single out the former colonial powers? Unlike many of their former colonies at least their sins were largely in the past.

PW
rogerb, eltonioni liked this
#1849220
They did send Mistral fighters to force the Air Atlas flight to land in Algiers, but they were not required in the end. The French pilot of the Moroccan DC3 was cajoled by the French secret service to land in Algiers rather than Tunis after a stop in Majorca. The flight attendant was also complicit chatting to the hapless Algerians while circling slowly to avoid alerting them to a change of course. She also lowered the window blinds. The best known of the passengers, Ben Bella, after imprisonment and house arrest in France for six years became the first President of Algeria.
This controversial action put a further nail in the coffin of the IVth Republic, which lasted another couple of years. Charles de Gaulle formed the Vth Republic in 1958 with a firm intention of getting France out of Algeria.
This was well before my time and I have met few Frenchmen prepared to talk about their experiences in Algeria apart from one little anecdote. Every year our aeroclub organised a sort of rally or navigation exercise with quiz questions ending with a spot landing contest and of course a meal. It was always won by the same pilot, a portly gent who ran the aerodrome bistro. I got talking to him one day and asked him the secret of his prowess. He said very modestly that he had been a spotter pilot for the French army in Algeria and that you had to be sharp eyed to survive.
Simon
kanga liked this
By simon32
#1849231
The Evo Morales flight was a diplomatic flight in his Presidential Falcon which required permission for overflights. This was denied by France and Portugal as the Americans suspected that Edward Snowden was on board. The Falcon landed in Austria to take on more fuel to avoid France and Portugal. I don’t think the Austrian authorities were allowed to question the passengers, but they ascertained that the person of interest was not there and the plane was cleared for take off. It led to some friction with Latin America.
Simon