Russian leisure airlines are starting repatriation flights from Cuba, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, following the same steps Aeroflot also announces the suspension of its operations to the Caribbean, reports the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
Consequences of closure of airspace
As a result of the closure of airspace in the European Union and Canada, Russian leisure operators have announced the suspension of scheduled flights to several destinations in the Caribbean. All operations to Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic are planned for repatriation only.
The airline Royal Flight, a partner of the tour operator Coral Travel, has announced the suspension of flights to Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Tourists currently in these countries will return according to the dates indicated on their tickets.
Royal Flight on February 28 made a flight from Moscow to Varadero, Cuba with a stopover in Kamchatka, due to the closure of the airspace of the Nordic countries the duration of the flight is increased from 12 to 20-21 hours.
The flight from Moscow to Kamchatka would take 8 hours, then from Kamchatka to Cuba 12-13 hours. However, a humanitarian corridor could be opened in the Atlantic in order to repatriate Russian citizens.
According to the tour operator ANEX Tour, in the period from February 27 to March 28, Azur Air operations from Moscow to La Romana (LRM), Varadero (VRA), Cayo Coco (CCC), and Cancun (CUN), from St. Petersburg (LED) to Varadero (VRA) and La Romana (LRM); from Kazan (KZN), Yekaterinburg (SVX), Ufa (UFA) and Novosibirsk (OVB) to La Romana (LRM); from Rostov-on-Don (RVI) to Punta Cana (PUJ), these routes will return tourists according to the dates of completion of their package tour before March 28.
Tour operator PEGAS touristik has informed from February 28 to March 28, flights from Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico, and Venezuela have been temporarily canceled, only return operations will be carried out for tourists.
«Nordwind and PEGAS Fly flights to these destinations have been suspended. Tours departing before March 28 to the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela will be canceled. Tourists are offered to rebook requests for alternative destinations or save money on deposit» the tour operator said in a statement.
Aeroflot has canceled flights to the United States, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba, unlike leisure airlines, the Russian flag carrier announced the cancellation until March 2, passengers have the option of a refund of their tickets.
Consequences for airlines
According to data from ATOR’s Analytical Service, at the moment there maybe 6,000 to 8,000 Russians in Cuba, 3,500 to 4,000 in Mexico, and 5,000 to 6,000 in the Dominican Republic. In total Russian airlines would have to repatriate between 16,000 – 18,000 Russian tourists in the Caribbean.
According to Vestnik ATOR’s sources, Russian airlines will not be allowed to make regular flights to Cuba, although Cuban air operators are free from the ban on the airspace of the European Union and Canada.
«Before, the air route used to go through Northern European countries, Canada and the United States, and it took more than 12 hours. Now it takes a long time to fly to Cuba, for example, through Kamchatka, almost a day and, what is more important, very expensive, In addition, carriers must provide airports for emergency landings on the route, and there are almost no such airports due to the sanctions of the European Union and Canada» summarized ATOR.
During the 2021/2022 boreal winter season, several of the Russian airlines opted to increase their operation in the Caribbean, due to sanitary restrictions in Southeast Asian countries, now their long-haul operations will be significantly affected.
Data obtained by Aviacionline through the Cirium Platform during the month of February, the schedule of Russian airline operators was as follows:
Pegas Fly
- Krasnoyarsk (KJA), Kazan (KZN), St. Petersburg (LDE), Yekaterinburg (SVX), Ufa (UFA), Moscow – Sheremetyevo (SVO) to Punta Cana (PUJ).
- Moscow – Sheremetyevo (SVO) to Puerto Plata (POP).
The company operates these routes on Boeing 767-300ER and 777-200ER aircraft.
Nordwind Airlines
- Moscow – Sheremetyevo (SVO) to Cayo Coco (CCC), Cancun (CUN), Punta Cana (PUJ), Varadero (VRA) and Havana (HAV).
The company operates these routes on Boeing 777-200ER/-300ER aircraft.
Royal Flight
- Moscow – Sheremetyevo (SVO) to Punta Cana (PUJ).
The company operates these routes on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Aeroflot
- Moscow – Sheremetyevo (SVO) to Cancun (CUN), Punta Cana (PUJ), and Havana (HAV).
The company operates these routes on Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Azur Air
- Moscow – Vnukovo (VKO) and St. Petersburg (LDE) to Varadero (VRA).
- Kazan (KZN), St. Petersburg (LDE), Rostov-on-Don (RVI), Yekaterinburg (SVX), Ufa (UFA), Moscow – Vnukovo (VKO), Kaliningrad (KGD) to La Romana (LRM).
- Rostov-on-Don (RVI) and Novosibirsk (OVB) to Punta Cana (PUJ).
The company operates these routes on Boeing 767-300ER and 777-300ER aircraft.
Information on some charter operations is not available on the Cirium platform.
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