Russia preparing evacuation flights from Mideast for as soon as airspace opens

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russian airlines, if necessary, will operate consolidated flights from the Middle East using wide-body aircraft to promptly evacuate the maximum number of passengers, said the head of Russia's State Transport Agency Rosaviation on Monday.

In a statement, Dmitry Yadrov said evacuation flights are ready to be sent as soon as Middle East airspace is reopened.

"Events in the Middle East are developing rapidly. We remain in constant contact with carriers and are preparing for the next stage—the opening of the skies. As soon as restrictions on the use of airspace are lifted, it is important to evacuate people in an organized and swift manner," he said.

He added: "If necessary, flights will be consolidated and operated on wide-body aircraft to pick up the maximum number of people as soon as the corridors open."

In a separate statement, Russian flag carrier Aeroflot announced the start of evacuation flights from the United Arab Emirates. Three flights are scheduled for Tuesday—two from Dubai and one from Abu Dhabi—and passengers with departure dates from Feb. 28 onward will be prioritized for these flights, the carrier said.

Another air carrier, S7, also announced it is starting evacuation flights, with the first trip scheduled from Dubai to Novosibirsk on Tuesday.

Earlier Monday, the first plane in nearly three days carrying Russian tourists arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport from Abu Dhabi.