Aeroflot unexpectedly cancels flights from the USA: Russians stuck at New York airport

The Russian airline Aeroflot on the night of Tuesday, March 31, announced that due to restrictions on the export of Russians from other countries imposed by the headquarters for the fight against coronavirus, it is canceling several dozen flights scheduled for the period from March 31 to April 2. This led to the fact that the Russians were stuck at the New York airport, planning to fly home. The edition writes about it Air force.

About flight cancellation

The airline announced the cancellation of flights on the night of Tuesday, March 31. In particular, flights scheduled for the period from March 31 to April 2 were canceled. For this reason, the Russians in New York could not fly home.

It is noted that the flights were canceled due to the imposed restrictions on the number of passengers arriving at the Sheremetyevo international airport. According to the Federal Air Transport Agency, the airport can receive no more than 500 people per day, airports in the regions - no more than 200 people per day.

Aeroflot specified that on March 31, 15 flights to the USA, Europe, Asian countries and vice versa are canceled. On this day, the airline will perform only three flights. In Moscow, flights will be accepted at terminal F of Sheremetyevo Airport.

This decision was for a more thorough medical examination of passengers arriving from abroad. This was announced on March 30 by the Minister of Transport Yevgeny Dietrich. “So that we can work as fully as possible with those citizens who arrive, work each one carefully and in detail,” he explained.

Situation in New York

In connection with the pandemic of the coronavirus, Aeroflot has retained only one direction in all of America - New York. At the same time, the number of flights was reduced from two to one per day. On March 18, the Russian air carrier announced a temporary cancellation of flights to Miami, Los Angeles and Washington.

It is also reported that on March 30, due to the cancellation of the airline’s flight, about 100 Russians who were planning to return to their homeland were unable to do so. According to one of the passengers on the canceled flight, Yulia Yanicheva, most of these people came to New York from other cities in the United States, then to fly to Moscow.

The girl also said that passengers received SMS messages about the cancellation of flights only in the morning of March 30.

“I flew from Las Vegas, where I lost my job and on the eve of my departure I signed an agreement to end the lease of the apartment, so I simply had nowhere to return,” she said.

According to the passengers of this flight, representatives of the airline at the JFK airport for several hours refused to explain. They only specified that the next flight, scheduled for March 31, would be canceled.

On the subject: Evacuation of Ukrainians: 354 people returned from New York to Kiev

The passengers were told that the reason was the ban on boarding at Sheremetyevo by the Russian Federation. Yanicheva noted that only after they were able to contact the Russian Consulate General, they were given a hotel for one night.

“We all came from different parts of the country, our rental contracts have been terminated, there is no work, and we simply have nowhere else to live,” she added.

A cry for help

Russians stuck at New York airport Wrote an open letter, addressed to Aeroflot CEO Vitaly Savelyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The letter was published on the site of the radio "Echo of Moscow". In it, people are asked to resolve the issue of their return to their homeland as soon as possible. They also emphasize that they are in a “strong focus of infection with the COVID-19 virus."

Termination of air traffic

Recall that from March 27, Russia stopped regular and charter flights with foreign countries, except for flights for the export of Russians. According to the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency Alexander Neradko, the Russians who will be there this year instead of living permanently will be exported first of all.

Neradko also noted that the priorities will be set by the employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The first priority is that, first of all, we will continue to export citizens who have entered the country of temporary residence after January 1, 2020,” he said. “And those who have been in the host country for a long time - at a permanent place of residence or have dual or triple citizenship and, in general, were not going to leave in such an emergency way to Russia - this will be the next priority.”