Two dozen aircraft bound for St. Petersburg found themselves redirected to alternative airports as severe weather swept through the region, prompting authorities to intervene. This summary draws on reports from RIA News through the transport prosecutor’s office, detailing how the sudden meteorological changes disrupted the regular flow of air traffic.
The ministry undertook a review of passenger rights during the disruption, ensuring that travelers received essential provisions such as beverages, meals, and hotel accommodations where appropriate. The focus was on maintaining basic standards of care for those affected by the weather-driven changes in the schedule.
Because of the adverse conditions, flight operations at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg were temporarily paused for departures and arrivals. The North-West Transport Prosecutor’s Office noted on its Telegram channel that 18 inbound flights, originally scheduled to land in the city, were diverted to other airports as a precaution and to preserve aviation safety in the face of the stormy weather.
Among the disrupted itineraries were services bound for cities including Novosibirsk, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Ufa, Nizhnevartovsk, Perm, Surgut, and Chelyabinsk. In several cases, the delays extended into longer holds, with crews and passengers waiting for clarity on the next available options as weather conditions continued to challenge standard routing patterns. [Attribution: Telegram channel of the North-West Transport Prosecutor’s Office]
Separately, aircraft already airborne were not immune to the impact. Planes that had taken off from Pulkovo found themselves unable to reach their destinations as the weather hampered ground operations and air traffic sequencing. Passengers reported that access to their bags, outlets, and on-board services was limited while the city’s aviation infrastructure recalibrated to the new weather reality. As one traveler noted, getting off the aircraft to reassess options was not allowed while the fleet waited for permission to exit the runway area. [Attribution: North-West Transport Prosecutor’s Office Telegram channel]
Later statements from the Pulkovo press team described the situation as challenging but not indicative of a complete airport closure. The office framed the weather as the primary factor complicating operations. The local media, including social channels, echoed this assessment, emphasizing the persistent and difficult conditions across the regional airspace. [Attribution: Telegram channels
Panels of officials also recalled prior incidents where birds interacting with aircraft have caused safety concerns, underscoring ongoing vigilance in flight safety matters. The recurring theme across updates is a commitment to safe, orderly management of air traffic despite environmental hurdles. [Attribution: Transport authorities]