Lukashenko vs. Ryanair

[ocelot]

Seems that Belarus forced a flight to divert in order to take a political prisoner. Not the first time someone's been arrested out of a diverted flight, but I think it might be the first time a flight was forcibly diverted specifically for the purpose. Not a good scene, anyhow.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57219860

[3WE]

Disturbing.

[Gabriel]

[Copying from the other thread I needlessly started]

State hijacking and kidnaping

I don't feel like joking about this. It is to me an attack on a sovereign state (the country of the operator) and equivalent to a declaration of war.
And it can likely send a man to the death penalty for the crime of exercising free speech.
And I hope I am wrong when I say that nobody is going to do anything except "protest vigorously against this heinous act".

http://avherald.com/h?article=4e7d7208&opt=0

[Mr. Snappy]

Is not true

Is not hijack

Is American propaganda

[Gabriel]

EU sanctions are out. All Belarus airlines (of which I think there are like 1) are banned from EU airspace and airports. That sends a very clear message to those eve considering doing this again the future: Go ahead, we will take strong symbolic measures but nothing of substance.

How about AT LEAST they also banned all EU airlines from flying to Belarus together with banning all flights departing from or with destination or stopover in Belarus from flying over the EU? That would at least be an annoyance for Belarus since people would have flight would need to drive/fly to/from Smolensk or Moscow (200 and 400 miles from Minsk respectively) to connect Belarus with the western world via air. With the current regulations you can still have straight-line non-stop flights between Minsk and anywhere in the world including the main EU capitals provided that it is not in a (the) Belarus airline.

Shame on you EU!

[flyboy2548m]

[Copying from the other thread I needlessly started]

State hijacking and kidnaping

I don't feel like joking about this. It is to me an attack on a sovereign state (the country of the operator) and equivalent to a declaration of war.
And it can likely send a man to the death penalty for the crime of exercising free speech.
And I hope I am wrong when I say that nobody is going to do anything except "protest vigorously against this heinous act".

http://avherald.com/h?article=4e7d7208&opt=0

Duly noted.

[3WE]

Duly noted.

Fascinating reply, there.