Over 60,000 passengers stranded in Russian airports due to drone attacks

The closure of Russian airports following drone attacks on 6–7 May disrupted travel plans for at least 60,000 passengers and affected at least 350 flights.

Source: The Moscow Times, citing data from the Association of Tour Operators in Russia (ATOR)

Details: ATOR warned that "this delay will trigger further delays like a domino effect" and urged citizens to check the status of their flights.

At Vnukovo Airport alone, around 50 flights were cancelled and over 45 delayed by more than an hour. Forty-three planes were diverted to other airports including Pulkovo, Mineralnye Vody, Ufa, Perm, Saratov and others. At Sheremetyevo Airport, about 100 flights were cancelled and at least 50 delayed. Domodedovo Airport cancelled 20 departures, with more than 70 arrivals delayed.

The air traffic restrictions extended beyond Moscow, affecting Sochi, Kazan, Kirov, Nizhnekamsk, Kaluga, Volgograd, Saratov, Samara, Ivanovo, Yaroslavl, Tambov and other cities. In addition, over 30 cities in the central part of Russia experienced internet disruptions.

Airlines including Aeroflot, Rossiya, Pobeda, S7, Ural Airlines, Nordwind, NordStar and Azur Air announced flight consolidations or cancellations.

Background:

• Several Russian airlines cancelled dozens of flights on 7 May following drone strikes on Russia. 
• On the night of 6–7 May, drones attacked defence industry facilities in several Russian oblasts, causing major fires.
• Earlier, Russian authorities claimed that their air defence supposedly downed seven drones flying towards the city of Moscow on the night of 6-7 May. Due to the drone threat, Sheremetyevo Airport was also temporarily closed.

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