Russia’s Deputy Transport Minister Alexander Yurchik announced today that Russian national air carriers stand to lose 1.6 billion rubles ($25.2 million) due to suspension of flights to China.

“These are calculations by the Transport Ministry together with the airlines,” he said. But, according to the official, this is not the final figure. “There is a quite difficult discussion with the financial and economic bloc of the government, because it is difficult to determine how to calculate losses,” he said.

On February 1, air traffic between Russia and China was limited to minimize the risks of the spread of coronavirus. Only Aeroflot, four Chinese airlines operate Sheremetyevo’s China-bound flights. All flights to China are served only at terminal. Until February 1, by Iraero, Aurora, Yakutia, Ural Airlines and Siberia (S7 Airlines) conducted direct flights between Moscow and China alongside with Aeroflot.