Flight MH17 "could have avoided Ukrainian airspace for an extra $66 per passenger"

Diverting the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 around hostile Ukrainian airspace would have cost the airline just $66 a passenger, calculations have revealed.

The additional 45 minutes of flight time that would have been required to divert the flight – accounting for costs such as fuel, maintenance, and cabin crew – would have cost the airline between $15,500 and $18,750.

That figure is based on direct operating costs running at up to $25,000 an hour for the 777-220ER aircraft.

The equation roughly comes to $66 per passenger, The Australian newspaper has reported, and aviation experts believe the cost-saving mechanism is why many airlines have opted to take cheaper, more direct routes.