Senator Rubio urges that the U.S. FAA evaluate the safety of Russian airlines

Senator Marco Rubio on Thursday demanded that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) do a safety study of Russian airlines and notify the American people of the hazards presented by Russian-controlled planes still operating in international airspace.

As a result of sanctions placed by Europe, the United States, and others in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russia's aviation sector has been pushed to curtail flight activities.

Rubio, the leading Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote: "As long as Russian airlines continue such operations, they pose a potential threat to international tourists as well as Russians going domestically."

After being blacklisted, some Russian airlines continued to undertake flights to Beijing, Delhi, and Dubai, among other locations.

The FAA did not immediately react, but in April it lowered Russia's aviation safety rating, alleging violation with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety requirements by the country's Federal Agency of Air Transport.

The United States joined the European Union and Canada in barring Russian carriers from American airspace in March.

The top aviation safety body for the European Union voiced "grave worry" on the safety of Western-made aircraft continuing to fly in Russia without access to spare parts and routine maintenance.

Patrick Ky, executive director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, stated, "This is pretty risky" (EASA) (EASA). According to him, there are reports that Russia will be required to cannibalize planes to keep others flying.

Rubio stated that further teaching from the FAA "about the nature of the possible hazards connected with traveling on airplanes without contemporary components" is urgently necessary.

More than 150 Boeing (NYSE:BA) airplanes flown by Russian airlines were added in March to a list of aircraft thought to contravene U.S. export laws.