Turkish carrier suspends Russian flights

ISTANBUL

Turkish budget airline Pegasus Airlines said on March 11 that the company was temporarily suspending its flights to Russia, following sanctions imposed on Moscow over its military incursion in Ukraine.

The firm stated in a press release that sanctions and restrictions are imposed on insurance/reinsurance, leasing, operation and maintenance services on flights to and from the Russian Federation in an accordance with a European Union regulation.

“Due to the operational risks arising from this situation, all Pegasus Airlines flights to and from the Russian Federation are being temporarily suspended as of, and including, March 13, 2022, until March 27, 2022,” it said in the statement.

The statement emphasized that passengers are entitled to free ticket changes and full refunds on flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Mineralnye Vody, Grozny, Makhachkala and Krasnodar between the specified dates.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan’s national airline Air Astana also decided to suspend its flights to Russia.

Air Astana, which operates flights to several destinations in Russia, said it was seeking to “restore flights as soon as possible.”    The carrier’s decision means there are no direct connections between Moscow and Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty.     

Russians and foreigners seeking to leave and return to Russia have been using the Almaty connection and connections to cities in other ex-Soviet countries not participating in sanctions against Moscow as points of transit.