(July 16): Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd is suspending flights between London Heathrow and Shanghai from October, abandoning the only route it operates to China because of the high cost associated with avoiding Russian air space.

Halting of the London Heathrow-Shanghai route, a service it has operated since 1999, further reduces the airline’s Asia-Pacific links after Virgin already shuttered routes like Hong Kong, Lahore and Islamabad in recent years. The UK carrier’s business is more weighted to transatlantic travel, with a new additional focus on passages to India.

“Significant challenges and complexities on this route have contributed to the commercial decision to suspend flying to Shanghai,” an airline spokesman said in a statement.

Virgin said it’s incurred higher costs because re-routing away from Russian airspace has led to a bigger fuel bill and an hour of extra flying to China and two hours on the return journey. That, in turn, is requiring more aircraft and crew. Many airlines no longer fly over Russia or Ukraine, complicating some services between Europe and Asia.

Virgin joins Qantas Airways Ltd in withdrawing from the China market, after the Australian flag carrier cited weak demand. Virgin still has a link to China through its code-share partnership with China Eastern Airlines Corp, a deal that was signed only in January.

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