Normal operations resumed at Moscow airports on May 8th.
Airport Chaos: Delays and Disruptions in Moscow and Beyond
Get ready for a bumpy day, folks! The Moscow region airports are still dealing with the aftermath of drone attacks from Ukraine. As of today, May 8, 2025, the Ministry of Transport expects these airports to return to normal operations by 6:00 PM local time. But don't pack your bags just yet.
This morning, Moscow's major airports, namely Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky, have experienced delays in both departures and arrivals. A whopping 94 flights have been delayed so far, leaving more than 14,000 passengers stranded.
But that's not all—airports in Siberia have been feeling the heat as well. Delays in flights have been reported at airports in Barnaul, Gorno-Altaisk, Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk, Novokuznetsk, Novosibirsk, Norilsk, Omsk, and Tomsk. Over 2,500 passengers are waiting for their flights to take off.
Last evening, the West Siberian Transport Prosecutor's Office reported these delays were due to late arrivals of aircraft from the Moscow air hub, which have been affected by mass attacks by Ukrainian drones over the past couple of days.
In light of these developments, it's worth noting that the disruptions at Moscow airports have been staggering. Sheremetyevo Airport, in particular, has suspended all flights twice during the night from 1:00 to 4:07 a.m. and from 4:25 to 5:30 a.m., causing numerous delays, cancellations, and diversions to alternate airports.
International travelers have been affected as well. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s plane was forced to divert due to the airspace threats. Major Russian airlines, like Aeroflot, have warned passengers about possible cancellations or consolidations due to these ongoing disruptions.
Stay tuned for updates as the Moscow region airports work tirelessly to return to normal operations. In the words of Forbes, "Air travel is never a walk in the park," and today seems to be a glaring example.
Moscow, Natalia Petrova
© 2025, RIA "Novy Day"
- The delayed flights from Moscow airports, as a result of drone attacks, are causing widespread disruptions in the general news and politics sectors, not just in the crime-and-justice category.
- The Ministry of Transport's expectation of normal operations in Moscow airports by 6:00 PM local time, on May 8, 2025, may be difficult to meet, given the numerous delays reported and the repercussions being felt as far away as Siberia.
- The delays in Moscow airports, affecting flights to and from cities such as Barnaul, Gorno-Altaisk, Kemerovo, Krasnoyarsk, Novokuznetsk, Novosibirsk, Norilsk, Omsk, and Tomsk, have been traced back to the late arrivals of planes from the Moscow air hub, a situation caused by mass attacks by Ukrainian drones.
- Amidst the chaos at Moscow airports, international travelers like Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić have also been impacted, with his plane being forced to divert due to airspace threats, highlighting the far-reaching effects of these delays on sending and receiving passengers across the world.
