Russia's overflight fees and the EU

On 29 October 2010 Air Transport World reported that the European Commission (EC) had announced that it was initiating court action against European Union (EU) member states France, Germany, Austria and Finland over their air services arrangements with Russia that see their airlines paying overflight fees.

Note that these fees are not for air traffic control services. A 28 October 2010 report in the Journal of Commerce provides an estimate of the total fees paid by EU airlines, mostly to Aeroflot.

On 28 January 2011 Bloomberg reported that the EC was looking to take action against seven additional member states.

On 14 March 2011 the European Commission released a press release that gives background and another press release advising that it was taking action against six further member states.