Airlines cancel flights due to bad weather

A prolonged snowfall in Moscow and St. Petersburg on December 18 led to a delay in the departure of more than 150 flights, according to the data of the online scoreboard of Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Pulkovo airports, which were studied by a Vedomosti correspondent.

The leader in transfers was the capital’s Sheremetyevo Airport – at the time of publication of the material, 79 flights were rescheduled, and one was canceled. Airport public relations director Anna Zakharenkova told Vedomosti that the decisions to cancel and reschedule were made by the airlines. In the conditions of a long and heavy snowfall, Sheremetyevo Airport continues to provide stable services to passengers and airlines, she added.

Over the past day, the airport served 573 departure and arrival flights without failures, Zakharenkova noted. “For the sake of flight safety, the airport constantly performs variable cleaning of runways and de-icing treatment of aircraft before departure. In this regard, minor delays are possible, ”she explained.

At least 32 departures from Vnukovo Airport on Sunday evening were rescheduled. The airline has become the leader in the transfer Utair (nine flights), in second place is Pobeda (six flights), in third place is Azimuth (four flights). In addition, two flights – Azur Air and Armenia Airways – were canceled. Airport spokeswoman Oksana Sokolova told Vedomosti that decisions to cancel and postpone flights were made by the airlines. The runways were prepared in time for takeoff, she added.

Earlier, the Baza Telegram channel reported a “passenger collapse” at Vnukovo, from where hundreds of people were unable to fly to Turkey on Saturday, December 17. They had to wait all night for a flight, and then people were simply dropped off the plane, Baza points out. In particular, the Turkish Airlines plane was supposed to leave on the night of December 18, but passengers were allowed on board only at seven in the morning, the Telegram channel reported. After a couple of hours of waiting in the cabin, the tourists were dropped off and returned to the “clean zone” of the airport terminal.

The interlocutor close to the airport also heard about the resulting pandemonium at the airport. He clarified that it was about the transfer of several flights, including the Turkish Airlines flight. This was done by decision of the aircraft commanders, the source explained. According to him, the conditions for takeoff were prepared, the runway was cleared. But due to heavy snowfall and lack of visibility, the captain, including the Turkish Airlines aircraft, decided to transfer, Vedomosti’s interlocutor added.

“One more thing – the aircraft is treated with anti-icing fluid, and if the aircraft does not take off within 10-15 minutes after that, it stops working, and you need to return and repeat the procedure. In addition, the Turks are always reinsured. When they saw such snow, they decided to wait with the flight, ”said the source. Vedomosti sent a request to Turkish Airlines.

At Domodedovo, on the evening of December 18, one flight was canceled (Izhavia airline), 29 were postponed. Most often, S7 airlines (10 times), ELAL (four), and also “Ural Airlines” (three) and Pegasus, reasons for the transfer are not specified. Vedomosti sent a request to the airport.

On Sunday, 11 flights from Pulkovo were delayed, three were cancelled. In St. Petersburg, weather conditions are favorable for departures, all delays in departures are associated with the late arrival of aircraft from Moscow and other cities, a representative of the press service of the airport said. Decisions to cancel flights were made by the airlines themselves, he added.

According to the Russian Hydrometeorological Center, on Sunday, December 18, cloudy weather in Moscow with heavy snowfalls, a blizzard and temperatures from minus 5-7 degrees during the day to minus 14 at night. By Monday, in Moscow and the Moscow region, snowdrifts will grow above 40 cm, said Roman Vilfand, scientific director of the Hydrometeorological Center. According to him, the snow height record will be broken on December 19, 1941.