Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) has reportedly furloughed 40% of its staff as it continues to face a significant decrease in passenger traffic due to Western sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
Approximately 7,000 furloughed airport workers face job uncertainty and salaries have been cut by a third.
The news appeared after unverified sources leaked an order signed by the airport’s management on March 16, 2022.
The decision, which was announced by Sheremetyevo’s general director Mikhail Vasilenko, is in line with the country’s Labor Code and has been made “in connection with the imposition of sanctions against the Russian Federation and the closure of air space over the territory of a number of countries, resulting in a critical decline in passenger traffic and a decrease in the required volumes of both the production capacity and a number of human resources needed as a result.”
Currently, Russian airlines can only operate domestic passenger services and offer outbound services to a few countries that have not imposed sanctions on the country.
Recently, SVO airport temporarily closed its Terminal D owing to sanctions placed on Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. On March 11, 2022, it was confirmed that the closure was implemented to “optimize and concentrate” operations in the Northern Terminal Complex (Terminals B and C).
“Sheremetyevo International Airport, in the face of forced restrictions in the field of international air transportation and in order to optimize and concentrate production activities in the northern terminal complex (terminals B and C), suspends passenger service in terminal D from 00:00 Moscow time on March 15 this year,” the airport announced in a press release.
International flight arrivals and departures from Belavia, Armenia, Vietnam Airlines, Corendon Airlines, Korean Air, Mongolian Airlines, Aeroflot, Cham Wings Airlines, Air India, Air Serbia from Terminal D were redirected to Terminal C. Meanwhile, domestic flights offered by Aeroflot, Rossiya Airlines, Pobeda, Yamal, Ikar, Nordwind Airlines, and Severstal airlines were operated from Terminal B.