Russia’s flag carrier Aeroflot will suspend all international flights, excluding Belarus, from March 8, 2022. The airline’s subsidiaries Rossiya Airlines and Aurora Airlines will also cancel their international operations.
The international flight suspension is attributed to “new additional circumstances impeding the operation of flights”, according to Aeroflot’s statement dated March 5, 2022.
Aeroflot says that it will continue operations across its route network within Russia except for temporary restrictions on flights to cities in southern Russia. After March 8, 2022, Minsk will remain the airline’s only international route.
Russia’s second-largest carrier, S7 Airlines, also cancelled all its international flights as of March 5, 2022. S7 Airlines has not announced the reason behind the decision.
Since February 24, 2022, when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Aeroflot and S7 Airlines have been steadily reducing their networks. Flights to Ukraine and adjacent regions were canceled on the first day of the invasion, and flights to various European countries stopped following the announcement of numerous Russian sanctions imposed in the days that followed.
Leading travel software provider Sabre Corporation, which processes ticket purchases and other transactions, also terminated its distribution agreement with Aeroflot as of March 3, 2022. This means that travel agencies and corporations across the globe are no longer able to make Aeroflot flight reservations or purchases.
Aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, and Bombardier have also suspended support for Russian airlines amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.