Drone attacks drive flight disruptions across Russia

Ukrainian drone attacks and airport flight restrictions are causing growing delays and cancellations across Russia, affecting the country’s aviation sector, according to Anadolu Agency.

Data from “Doletit”, which tracks figures from Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, shows that 3,594 flight restrictions were imposed at Russian airports from January to October.

The measures affected airports near the Ukrainian border as well as Moscow’s major international hubs: Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky.

Aircraft arrivals and departures were frequently suspended overnight. Around half of the recent restrictions began between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Moscow time.

The disruption intensified last month, when 545 separate restrictions were imposed, nearly nine times the 60 recorded in the same month last year.

The restrictions also caused logistics bottlenecks. Russia’s Transport Ministry reported a 20.3% increase in flights delayed by more than two hours from January to August. In October, more than 51,900 flights were delayed by at least 15 minutes, while over 7,000 were canceled across 118 airports nationwide.

Airlines have often had to reroute aircraft to alternative hubs, bringing unexpected expenses for emergency passenger accommodation and ground transport.

Russia’s flag carrier “Aeroflot” accommodated more than 2,600 passengers in hotels and provided 11,000 meal vouchers after restrictions at Sheremetyevo Airport on Oct. 23.

Following further restrictions on Oct. 29 and 30, the airline put 1,600 passengers in hotels, issued 20,000 meal vouchers and transported more than 1,300 people to their destinations.

Restoring normal flight schedules after sudden airport closures has also made it more difficult for airlines to comply with aviation safety rules on crew working and rest periods.

Russian carriers were already facing difficulties after the United States and the European Union closed their airspace to Russian aircraft in early 2022, restricting them from operating international routes.

Western sanctions also prohibit the sale of aircraft, spare parts and maintenance services to Russia, adding to the challenges facing Russian airlines.