UK urges citizens to avoid 'unsafe' Russian airlines

British citizens should avoid Russian airlines due to safety concerns, following a decision by Britain's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to put Russia on a safety watchlist, transport minister Grant Shapps said on Friday.

"I urge all British nationals to avoid flying with a Russian airline," Shapps said in a statement, adding the CAA had acted "due to our concerns that the Russian authorities are actively promoting unsafe practices".

Russian airlines are already banned from entering British airspace.