Putin Grounding Russian Civilian Airline Flights

“Aeroflot informs about a temporary suspension of all international flights starting 8 March (00:00 MSK) due to new additional circumstances impeding the operation of flights,” read a statement on the airline’s website.

“Passengers of cancelled international flights are eligible for a full refund of tickets,” it said. There is no need for passengers of cancelled flights to immediately contact the airline for a refund, as this can be done at any time before the end of 2022 or tickets can be rebooked on another route for free, said the airline.

“Passengers of international flights who are currently abroad and holding return tickets with a flight segment from Russia already used can contact the airline to rebook the return segment to Russia before the suspension of flights.”

It said that for any passengers still abroad at the time of suspension, the airline will “exercise maximum effort to organise their return” to Russia.

Smaller and charter airlines also announced suspensions on their services. Nordwind and Pegas Fly, which run in the same alliance, are suspending all international flights from Monday.

This decision has been made “in connection with the emergence of additional circumstances that impede the performance of flights”, according to a statement on the Nordwind website.

Passengers with one-way tickets can continue to fly until the moment of suspension, and thereafter apply for a full refund or reschedule the flight for another that’s still operating, said the airline.

Azur Air announced a suspension of international flights from Tuesday, with those holding round-trip tickets not allowed to travel from midnight on Sunday.

The charter airline will continue to operate flights for Russians who are abroad in Egypt, Turkey, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Vietnam and the Maldives, according to local reports.

Currently halted flights between Moscow and Tehran, Russia’s embassy in the Iranian capital said on Sunday.