The aircraft had been carrying Covid-19 testing kits ordered by the Canadian government from China. The seizure of the Antonov Design Bureau quadjet came after the European Union and Canada - but before the United States - initiated airspace bans paralysing the movement of aircraft operated by Russian airlines carrying passengers or cargo. Alghabra told the Mississauga news site Insauga that the stranded aircraft will not be using Canadian airspace until Russia’s war in Ukraine is over, and it will stay where it is until further notice. A Transport Canada spokesperson had similarly told the site in August that it would remain grounded for the time being, and since then has provided no further updates. The meter continues to run, growing by CAD1,065.60 per day (USD781), Insauga reported citing Pearson’s 2022 aeronautical charges. Collected by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, the parking tab will top CAD400,000 (USD293,368) by mid-March 2023.
