Flight delays and baggage claim failures at Sheremetyevo due to snowfall: what is known

Due to the heaviest snowfall in decades, dozens of flights were canceled and delayed at the Moscow air hub, and the largest Sheremetyevo airport was temporarily closed for arrivals, which led to massive disruptions and passenger congestion. Hundreds of people could not receive their luggage, and airlines redirected planes to alternate airfields and urgently accommodated passengers in hotels. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

What happened at the airports

On the night of January 9, bad weather in Moscow began to make serious adjustments to the flight schedule. According to Artem Korenyako, a representative of the Federal Air Transport Agency, two aircraft went to alternate airfields overnight to ensure safety. He noted that airports are operating normally, but apron services have been switched to an enhanced schedule, and aircraft are undergoing mandatory de-icing.

According to Rostransnadzor, dozens of flights were canceled or delayed at the capital's airports on January 9. The agency reported that airlines provide passengers with food and accommodation during long delays, and there are no mass gatherings in the terminals.

Baggage claim issues and restrictions at Sheremetyevo Airport

On the morning of January 10, the situation in Sheremetyevo escalated. The airport announced a temporary closure for aircraft arrivals until 08:00 Moscow time, and then extended this restriction until 10:00 a.m. This decision was caused by abnormal weather conditions and an updated daily record for precipitation in the capital. The sorties were carried out to stabilize the situation.

In addition, there was a problem with the massive delay in baggage claim. Rostransnadzor began monitoring the situation after receiving complaints. According to the agency's preliminary information, the bad weather affected the logistics processes, and the staff took all measures to restore work.

Izvestia correspondents reported from the scene that there were huge queues at check-in counters and baggage claim areas at the airport. Information boards show hundreds of cancelled and delayed flights. Some passengers, such as Stepan, who arrived from Thailand, were forced to leave without outerwear because their luggage was stuck in the system.

It is reported that bottled water and sandwiches were provided for passengers waiting for their luggage. The airport, together with Aeroflot and Rossiya airlines, also decided to personally deliver luggage to passengers' addresses. The Aeroflot press service confirmed that several flights had to leave for alternate airfields in Nizhny Novgorod and Vnukovo.

Later, at 11:52 Moscow time, Sheremetyevo's press service announced that restrictions on the arrival of flights at the airline had been lifted, and all passengers had their luggage distributed. In addition, 1 million cubic meters of snow were removed from the airfield during the day.

How airlines and authorities are responding to the crisis

Aeroflot, the largest carrier in Sheremetyevo, was forced to begin a large-scale schedule adjustment. The company's press service said that to minimize the consequences of the disruption, some flights will be canceled during the day. Passengers of the cancelled flights were advised not to arrive at the airport, but to issue a forced ticket refund or reschedule the flight.

Tourist Elizaveta Milman told Izvestia that at the airport, people stood in queues for two hours to get information about hotel accommodation. The situation affected not only the capital: flights to the capital were canceled at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, and passengers from Vladivostok could not fly to Moscow and Vietnam on time.

Against the background of the crisis, the Moscow Interregional Transport Prosecutor's Office began checking the observance of the rights of air transport passengers. The agency said it was closely monitoring the situation and would take prosecutorial response measures if violations were detected. Unfavorable weather conditions are officially recognized as the main reason for delays.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.