Skift Take

The list of companies taking a stand has grown considerably since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly three weeks ago. Here's our latest recap of travel's pullback from Russia.

Ukraine Coverage

Skift’s reporters and editors are working to explain how the war on Ukraine is impacting travel. All of our stories about the subject are free for all readers.

Learn More

In merely two weeks, most Western travel companies sliced many arteries of money between them and Russia, responding to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Businesses appear to be complying with sanctions, but some companies went further than what sanctions required — out of a mix of outrage and fear of public shaming.

On March 4, Skift published Russia Travel: Who’s In, Who’s Out, spotlighting travel company actions. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute have been updating a list of hundreds of companies across industries that have rushed to disengage because of the aggression.

Sonnefeld made the case on CNBC for a Western retreat from Russia. The ambition is to spark an economic crisis in Russia that will prompt many of its 145 million citizens to force Putin to stop the humanitarian crisis. The lack of foreign capital may be enough of a blow, agreed other analysts.

Ironically, Putin’s circle may welcome the isolation.

The leakiness of the boycott may also be undermining its impact. Europe is unwilling to cut off energy imports, which more than travel or anything else funds the war. China and countries in the “global South” such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, and Brazil haven’t joined the sanctions.

Some travel companies haven’t pulled back. India’s MakeMyTrip has been selling lodging in Russia. Many hotel brands that have third-party owners in Russia continue to open their doors. Avis, Budget, Rentmotors, and Yodo are among the car rental firms still doing business.

We’ll leave the predictions to the geopolitical experts. Skift’s team will keep updating our list in the table, below.

Companies Curtailing Business in Russia

CompanyAction
Accorsuspended future investments; 55 hotels owned by third parties are still open
AerCapsuspended aircraft leasing
Airbnbsuspended bookings
Airbussuspended parts and service
Alaska Airlinessuspended partnerships
Alphabet/Google Travelturned off Russia advertisers, but has some ads for Russian listings
Amadeus ITsuspended Aeroflot bookings but maintains passenger service systems
American Airlinessuspended flights over Russian airspace
American Expresssuspended operations; cards issued by Russian banks won’t supported by the Amex network
Blacklanesuspended relationships with all Russian-based corporations and travel agencies, including their global subsidiaries
Boeingsuspended parts, service, technical support, and titanium purchases
Bombardierrestricting new business deals
Booking Holdingssuspended operations
Carnivaldiscontinued Russia itineraries
Cloudbedssuspended operations including services to partners and customers who operate in Russia
Deltasuspended Aeroflot partnership
eDreams Odigeosuspended its Russia website and removed Russia from its inventory
Expediasuspended sale of travel into and out of Russia
GetYourGuidesuspended bookings
G Adventuressuspended tours and won’t accept bookings from Russian agencies
Hiltonsuspended new investments; still runs 26 hotels
HRSsuspended services in Russia
Hyattsuspended investments and new developments
IHGclosed office; suspended future investments; hotels owned by third parties are still open
Intrepid Travelsuspended operations in Russia but is still selling for 2023
Kensington Tourssuspended bookings for 2022
Korean Air Linesno flying over Russian airspace, despite not being subject to Russian airspace ban
Marriottclosed office; suspended future investments; 28 hotels owned by third parties are still open
Mastercardcards issued by Russian banks won’t be supported by the Mastercard network
Norwegian Cruise Linesdiscontinued Russia itineraries
Regent Seven Seas Cruisesdiscontinued Russia itineraries
Reed & Mackayhas been working with clients that have offices in Russia on evacuations/ repatriations. Presence in Russia was managed through a partnership agreement, which it is now winding down
Rick Stevessuspended tours
Sabresuspended Aeroflot bookings but maintains passenger service systems
Skyscanner (owned by Trip.com)turned off Russian content and withdrawn Skyscanner’s transactional platform
SmarTourscanceled Russia itineraries
Taucksuspended 2022 tours of Russia and stops in Russia
Travelportsuspended Aeroflot bookings
The Travel Corporationsuspended 2022 tours of Russia and stops in Russia
TripActionsno longer supporting travel to Russia; Tripactions Liquid card stopped for Russia transactions
Tripadvisor/Viatorremoved “Kremlin-linked propaganda” and Russia ads
TUI Group’s Musement and GoTui.comsuspended sales of activities to do in Russia
Uberremoved “Kremlin-linked propaganda” and Russia ads
United Airlinesno flying over Russian airspace
Visacredit cards issued by Russian banks won’t supported by the Visa network

Skift edit staffers Dennis Schaal, Rashaad Jorden, Matt Parsons, Lebawit Lily Girma, Sean O’Neill, and Madhu Unnikrishnan of Skift’s Airline Weekly contributed to this report.

The above lists aren’t exhaustive, and the situation is fluid.

smartphone

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: russia, ukraine

Photo credit: A rally for peace in Ukraine outside of the White House in Washington, D.C. mikespeaks / Flickr/Creative Commons

Up Next

Loading next stories