Two European airlines have been forced to scrap flights to Moscow after Russian official did not approve new routes that avoided Belarus’ airspace. 

It is in retaliation for Minsk’s interception of a Ryanair flight that was carrying a critic of the Belarusian president.

Air France and Austrian Airlines had to reroute flights that typically fly over Belarus when EU governments demanded their airlines, including British Airways and KLM, circumnavigate the country’s airspace. 

The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization said on Thursday it will start an immediate investigation.

Elmar Giemulla, an aviation lawyer who represented four German nationals killed in the downing of a passenger jet in Ukraine, said: “The more countries that are members of the club the better international aviation can be performed so to exclude a member is a very hard step.

“[Belarus’ expulsion] depends on very much of the position that Mr Lukashenko takes now. If he is very stubborn, says he is master of his house, I’m a sovereign state, then the reaction must be: ‘Sorry you don’t understand: we are talking about international civil aviation and we have to exclude you.’

“The question for the ICAO is not just to punish somebody. The problem is the danger of copying. If ICAO reacts in a soft way this could encourage other autocrats in the world, and there are many of them, to ignore and disregard the international community. If this spreads all over the place, we can forget international aviation.”