In the aftermath of dense coastal fog over Siberia, Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk airports resumed normal operations after a temporary slowdown. Reports from RIA News note that on Sunday, December 24, more than twenty flights faced delays or cancellations in several Siberian hubs due to the heavy fog. By the following day, visibility and weather conditions improved, allowing airports to return to standard schedules and landings with greater reliability.
Novokuznetsk Airport expressed a positive outlook for the coming hours, signaling a smoother flow of air traffic. As a result, outbound flights resumed from major cities, including routes to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Airlines such as S7 and Nordwind had already initiated departures from St. Petersburg, while a Red Wings aircraft arriving from Yekaterinburg completed its landing on schedule, according to the airport’s press service.
Meanwhile, the Russian aviation sector marked a notable milestone as Aeroflot operated its first regular passenger flight since 2020, connecting Moscow with Hong Kong. This revival follows a long pause in regular services to Hong Kong caused by coronavirus-related restrictions. The contemporary service features the Airbus A330, a wide-body jet that is expected to operate three flights weekly between Moscow and the Asian gateway, signaling a cautious but meaningful expansion of international reach for flagship carrier operations.
Across the Kuzbass region, the weather disruption underscored the challenges that fog presents to airport operations, air traffic control, and airline schedules. Airports in this part of Siberia have learned to adapt quickly as fog events can alter arrival and departure sequences, sometimes requiring temporary ground holds or adjusted routing to maintain safety and efficiency. Observers note that once visibility improves, the capacity to handle aircraft increases substantially, restoring on-time performance and passenger convenience. In the broader context, such weather-driven interruptions are monitored by national aviation authorities, emphasizing the need for robust contingency planning, rapid communication with travelers, and coordinated operations between airports and carriers to minimize disruption. [Source attribution: aviation authorities and sector reports].
These developments come as air travel gradually stabilizes after a period of strict health-related border measures and pandemic-era travel restrictions. The renewed schedule in major hubs and the return of regular long-haul services reflect a broader trend toward normalized international connectivity. For travelers in Canada and the United States, pilots and schedulers continue to monitor weather patterns in real time, with adaptive flight planning and enhanced weather radar integrations designed to reduce delays caused by fog and other meteorological phenomena. Industry analysts suggest that improved forecasting accuracy and better real-time weather data sharing between airports will further bolster reliability in the months ahead. [Industry briefings and official statements].