Heavy snow disrupts Moscow air travel: Around 140 flights affected

Severe snowfall brought by Cyclone Wally has disrupted air travel in Moscow, with around 140 flights delayed or cancelled across the Russian capital’s major airports. 

The worst-affected airport is Sheremetyevo International Airport, where 18 flights have been delayed and 15 arrivals postponed. A total of 53 flights have been cancelled, including services to St. Petersburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk and Ufa, Russian Telegram channel SHOT reports. 

At Vnukovo International Airport, 13 arrivals and 17 departures were delayed. Affected routes include flights to Dubai, Ankara, Istanbul, Fergana and the Russian resort city of Sochi. Turkish Airlines cancelled two daytime flights to Istanbul.

Meanwhile, at Domodedovo International Airport, one flight was cancelled and six others delayed, including arrivals from Ulan-Ude, Irkutsk and Dubai.

Authorities said heavy snowfall and strong winds have significantly impacted both air and ground transport. Traffic congestion in Moscow reached level seven on the city’s monitoring scale, prompting officials to advise residents to use public transportation instead of private vehicles.

Hundreds of snow removal vehicles have been deployed since early morning to clear roads and airport runways. 

An “orange” weather hazard alert — indicating potentially dangerous conditions — has been declared for Moscow and the surrounding region and will remain in effect until midnight on February 20. Authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel as blizzards and strong winds persist.

By Sabina Mammadli