The measure effectively suspends the bilateral air agreement between the US and Belarus, including a ban on interline routes. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a letter to Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg that the ban was necessary following the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight to Belarus on May 23.
"Pending the final outcome of an investigation into the incident by the International Civil Aviation Organization, it is in the interest of US foreign policy. to limit transport between the United States and Belarus", wrote Blinken.
"Accordingly, I respectfully request the Department of Transportation to prohibit the sale of commercial travel tickets, including for air transportation, between the United States and Belarus until further notice, except for any transportation deemed to be in the national interest of the United States on humanitarian grounds. or national security. "
The move is somewhat symbolic, as no US airline is currently flying to Minsk (MSQ), the capital and largest city in Belarus. Turkish Airlines operates a route between New York (JFK) and Istanbul (IST) through Belarus, but it seems that it will no longer be allowed.