Moscow's Vnukovo airport lifts flight restrictions; Kaluga, Gelendzhik affected
In short
Restrictions on receiving and dispatching aircraft at Moscow's Vnukovo airport were lifted and the airport is operating normally, Rosaviatsia said, according to Kommersant, TASS and RIA Novosti. Kommersant reported that Vnukovo handled flights in coordination with the relevant authorities from 3:18 Moscow time and that such restrictions are imposed at Russian airports because of the threat of drone strikes. The same night, Kaluga's airport was closed from 4:30 to 7:00 Moscow time and Gelendzhik's airport had not been operating since 6:17 Moscow time, Kommersant said.
Read the full story 1 min read
Restrictions on aircraft arrivals and departures at Moscow's Vnukovo airport have been lifted and the airport is receiving and dispatching flights normally, Rosaviatsia's press service said, according to Kommersant. TASS reported at 22:33 local time on October 3 that the restrictions had been lifted, citing Rosaviatsia, and RIA Novosti reported the cancellation of the temporary restrictions at 22:36. Later, at 04:19 local time on October 4, TASS said Vnukovo had resumed receiving and dispatching aircraft and that the temporary restrictions had been lifted; RIA Novosti reported at 04:21 that the restrictions at the airport had been lifted. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Kommersant reported that Vnukovo sent and received flights in coordination with the relevant authorities from 3:18 Moscow time. The outlet said such restrictions are imposed at Russian airports because of the threat of drone strikes. Its report was published at 07:22 local time on October 3. [ 1 ]
The same night, restrictions were introduced at airports in Kaluga and Gelendzhik, Kommersant reported. Kaluga's airport was closed from 4:30 to 7:00 Moscow time, while Gelendzhik's airport had not been operating since 6:17 Moscow time, according to the outlet. [ 1 ]
The documents do not state when the restrictions at Vnukovo began or how many flights were affected, and they give no specific reason for this restriction beyond Kommersant's description of the general practice. It is also unclear whether the lifting reported by Kommersant on the morning of October 3 and the liftings reported by TASS and RIA Novosti later concern the same episode or separate ones, and no document says whether operations at Kaluga and Gelendzhik have returned to normal. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The lifting of restrictions returns Vnukovo, one of Moscow's main airports, to normal flight operations, and the information comes from Rosaviatsia through state and business outlets, indicating an official version of events. The documents give no figures on delayed or cancelled flights and no time for when the restrictions began, and no document says whether operations at Kaluga and Gelendzhik have returned to normal.
Key facts
- Restrictions on receiving and dispatching aircraft at Vnukovo airport were lifted, Rosaviatsia said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- TASS reported the lifting of restrictions at 22:33 local time on October 3, citing Rosaviatsia. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti reported the cancellation of the temporary restrictions at 22:36 local time on October 3. [ 3 ]
- TASS reported at 04:19 local time on October 4 that Vnukovo had resumed receiving and dispatching aircraft. [ 4 ]
- RIA Novosti reported at 04:21 local time on October 4 that temporary restrictions at the airport had been lifted. [ 5 ]
- Kommersant reported that Vnukovo sent and received flights in coordination with the relevant authorities from 3:18 Moscow time, and that such restrictions are imposed at Russian airports because of the threat of drone strikes. [ 1 ]
- Kaluga's airport was closed from 4:30 to 7:00 Moscow time, and Gelendzhik's airport had not been operating since 6:17 Moscow time, Kommersant reported. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- It is unclear whether the lifting reported by Kommersant on the morning of October 3 and the liftings reported by TASS and RIA Novosti on the evening of October 3 and early on October 4 concern the same episode or separate ones. The documents do not link the reports to one another or say how many times restrictions were imposed and lifted.
- The specific reason for the restrictions at Vnukovo is not stated. Kommersant describes the general practice of imposing such restrictions over the threat of drone strikes, but no document gives the cause of this particular restriction.
- The scope of the restrictions is not specified. No document states when the restrictions began or how many flights were affected.
- Whether restrictions at Kaluga and Gelendzhik have been lifted is not stated. Only Kommersant mentions these airports, and the last status it gives is that Gelendzhik had not been operating since 6:17 Moscow time.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Vnukovo airport sends and receives flights in coordination with the relevant authorities from 3:18 Moscow time, Kommersant reports. [ 1 ]
- Kaluga airport is closed from 4:30 to 7:00 Moscow time, Kommersant reports. [ 1 ]
- Gelendzhik airport has not been operating since 6:17 Moscow time, Kommersant reports. [ 1 ]
- Kommersant reports that Rosaviatsia's press service says restrictions at Vnukovo have been lifted. [ 1 ]
- TASS reports, citing Rosaviatsia, that restrictions at Vnukovo have been lifted. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti reports the cancellation of temporary restrictions at Vnukovo. [ 3 ]
- TASS reports that Vnukovo has resumed receiving and dispatching aircraft. [ 4 ]
- RIA Novosti reports that temporary restrictions at Vnukovo have been lifted. [ 5 ]