Flights to Russia operated by Emirates were re-scheduled due to interference from Ukrainian drones.
Emirates, based in the bustling city of Dubai, might be pondering a revamp of its flight schedule to Russia and various international destinations in light of the recent drone attacks deep within Russian territory. In a candid chat with Bloomberg Television, Emirates President Tim Clark voiced his concerns over the escalating drone attacks in Russian regions, noting that the situation has become "a bit more concerning" than before.
Clark elaborated, "As things heat up a tad, you know what I mean, we'll be keeping an eye on everything." For now, the airline has no plans to scale down its operations, but will maintain a cautious, watchful approach, as emphasized by Clark.
Emirates has generated a suite of robust contingency plans to tackle such situations. Clark mentioned that their aircraft are fueled sufficiently to enable pilots to divert away from Russian airspace, if need be.
RBC Group reported that several international companies have either suspended flights to Russia or particular cities, attributing their actions to the elevating risks in the region. Companies like Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), Qazaq Air, "Turkmen Airlines," FlyDubai, and Israeli airline El Al are part of this list, along with China Southern Airlines, which temporarily halted direct flights between Moscow and Beijing earlier this year, though the reasons remain unspecified.
Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks on Russian regions since late May, targeting military airfields in regions such as Irkutsk and Amur, according to the Ministry of Defense[3]. Moscow has also been hit by numerous drone attacks, causing temporary airport shutdowns dozens of times in a single week at the end of May[4].
Amidst this volatile context, Emirates Airlines has yet to make an official announcement regarding any alterations to its flight schedule to Russia. Instead, the airline has focused on improving its customer experience, unveiling plans for an upgrade to its Emirates Skywards system, and launching new routes such as a service to Damascus starting July 16[1][2]. Furthermore, industry discussions are underway regarding the potential reopening of Russian airspace and its impact on global flight routes, though this seems more connected to geopolitical and economic factors rather than recent drone attacks[5].
In summary, while Emirates Airlines has demonstrated a proactive approach in handling potential risks, no definitive updates about flight schedule adjustments in response to the current drone attacks in Russia have been announced.
- Emirates President Tim Clark expressed concerns about the escalating drone attacks in Russian regions, stating, "As things heat up a tad, we'll be keeping an eye on everything."
- Clark also mentioned that Emirates has implemented contingency plans, including fueling aircraft sufficiently to allow for diversion from Russian airspace if necessary.
