The key facts
- 12 flights heading to Moscow landed at Pulkovo on the morning of November 3 due to restrictions at the capital's aviation hub.
- Passengers from nine aircraft were disembarked in Saint Petersburg, and the airlines are arranging their onward travel.
- The restrictions in Moscow were imposed due to a drone threat, but by morning the airports had resumed operations.
Pulkovo received 12 flights that had been heading to Moscow
On the morning of November 3, Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg served as an alternate airfield for 12 passenger airliners that were unable to land in Moscow due to airspace restrictions that had been imposed. According to Life.ru, by 7:00 Moscow time all of the aircraft had already arrived in the Northern Capital. The reason for the unscheduled landings was temporary bans on receiving and dispatching aircraft at the Moscow aviation hub, caused by a drone threat.
The fate of the passengers and schedule adjustments
Due to the prolonged wait for the opportunity to depart, the airlines decided to disembark the passengers of nine flights at the Pulkovo terminal. The travelers will have to reach their original destination by alternative means, the organization of which is being handled by the carriers. The situation also led to adjustments to the flight schedule on the route between Saint Petersburg and Moscow, as the airport's press service warned.
The reason for the restrictions in Moscow
Temporary restrictions on receiving and dispatching aircraft at Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports were introduced on the evening of November 2. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 493 Ukrainian droneswere flying toward the capital region, of which 187 were shot down directly on approach to the city. According to Gazeta.Ru, by the time the news was published, the airports had already resumed normal operations.
