Фото: Reform.by
Restrictions on operations at Moscow airports have affected flight schedules between Belarus and Russia. According to the online departures and arrivals board of Minsk National Airport, Aeroflot flights to Moscow have been canceled, while some flights between Belarus and the Russian capital are operating with schedule changes.
The following departures from Minsk are delayed:
Aeroflot flight SU1835 to Moscow (Sheremetyevo), scheduled for 09:25, has been canceled.
The following arriving flights are delayed:
Aeroflot flight SU1834 from Moscow (Sheremetyevo), scheduled for 08:25, has been canceled.
Earlier, Sheremetyevo Airport announced temporary restrictions on aircraft arrivals and departures, then announced that the restrictions had been lifted.
“Airlines are being forced to adjust their schedules. Departing and arriving flights in the near future will operate depending on readiness and the actual situation,” the statement said.
Amid the restrictions, passengers on some flights bound for Moscow found themselves in other Russian cities. According to Ostorozhno, Novosti, a Pegasus Airlines flight from Antalya to Moscow landed in St. Petersburg. Passengers said they remained on board for several hours while waiting for the airspace to reopen. Other flights were diverted to Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan.
According to Baza, more than 370 flights were delayed or canceled due to overnight restrictions at Moscow airports. Aircraft were diverted to alternate airports. The outlet reported that 62 flights were delayed and another 39 canceled at Vnukovo. Domodedovo recorded 23 delays and eight cancellations. Sheremetyevo experienced the most disruption, with departure times changed for 104 flights and 135 flights canceled.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that 2,730 drones had flown toward the Moscow region between 08:30 on October 10 and 08:30 on October 17. He claimed that 534 of them had been neutralized while approaching the capital.