Flights to Russia Halted by Three Global Airlines
Azerbaijani, Kazakh, and Israeli airlines have suspended certain routes temporarily in light of the recent crash of a plane headed for Russia this week. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Azerbaijani, Kazakh, and Israeli airlines have temporarily suspended certain routes in response to flight safety concerns following the recent crash of a Russian-bound aircraft.
This week, three international carriers reported they would halt flights to Russia due to potential safety risks after a passenger plane bound for Russia crashed.
On Wednesday morning, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190AR went down near Aktau, located on Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea coast, resulting in the deaths of at least 38 out of 67 passengers. The aircraft was traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny, Chechnya, when it was rerouted and subsequently crashed while trying to land in Aktau. The passenger list included individuals from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
On Friday, AZAL announced it would suspend services to several Russian airports beginning December 28, following earlier flight cancellations, citing “potential risks to flight safety.”
This decision came in alignment with the Azerbaijan State Civil Aviation Authority and was informed by initial findings from the crash investigation, according to the company’s statement on Telegram. The suspension will remain until the final investigation is concluded.
El Al, Israel’s flagship airline, declared the cancellation of all flights from Tel Aviv to Moscow for this week, “citing developments in Russia’s airspace.” The airline stated it would reassess the situation over the next week to determine whether the route could be resumed, assuring passengers that they would be kept informed.
Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air also announced on Telegram its temporary suspension of the Astana-Ekaterinburg route from December 28 to January 27, 2025, “to ensure the safety of passengers and crew members.”
However, the airline will continue to operate flights to Omsk and Novosibirsk, which still meet safety criteria. Qazaq Air plans to offer passengers on canceled flights a full refund and the option for free rebooking on alternative flights.
Ilya Shatilin, editor-in-chief of the FrequentFlyers.ru portal, mentioned that the flight suspensions would not have a significant impact on overall passenger traffic, speaking to Vedomosti.
An official investigation into the crash is in progress to understand the circumstances surrounding the event, as announced by Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviation. Agency head Dmitry Yadrov stated on Friday that Russia is prepared to collaborate with its Azerbaijani and Kazakh counterparts.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
This week, three international carriers reported they would halt flights to Russia due to potential safety risks after a passenger plane bound for Russia crashed.
On Wednesday morning, an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190AR went down near Aktau, located on Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea coast, resulting in the deaths of at least 38 out of 67 passengers. The aircraft was traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan to Grozny, Chechnya, when it was rerouted and subsequently crashed while trying to land in Aktau. The passenger list included individuals from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
On Friday, AZAL announced it would suspend services to several Russian airports beginning December 28, following earlier flight cancellations, citing “potential risks to flight safety.”
This decision came in alignment with the Azerbaijan State Civil Aviation Authority and was informed by initial findings from the crash investigation, according to the company’s statement on Telegram. The suspension will remain until the final investigation is concluded.
El Al, Israel’s flagship airline, declared the cancellation of all flights from Tel Aviv to Moscow for this week, “citing developments in Russia’s airspace.” The airline stated it would reassess the situation over the next week to determine whether the route could be resumed, assuring passengers that they would be kept informed.
Kazakhstan’s Qazaq Air also announced on Telegram its temporary suspension of the Astana-Ekaterinburg route from December 28 to January 27, 2025, “to ensure the safety of passengers and crew members.”
However, the airline will continue to operate flights to Omsk and Novosibirsk, which still meet safety criteria. Qazaq Air plans to offer passengers on canceled flights a full refund and the option for free rebooking on alternative flights.
Ilya Shatilin, editor-in-chief of the FrequentFlyers.ru portal, mentioned that the flight suspensions would not have a significant impact on overall passenger traffic, speaking to Vedomosti.
An official investigation into the crash is in progress to understand the circumstances surrounding the event, as announced by Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviation. Agency head Dmitry Yadrov stated on Friday that Russia is prepared to collaborate with its Azerbaijani and Kazakh counterparts.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
