Southern Skies Reopen: Full Flight Service Restored Across Russia’s South

Russia’s Ministry of Transport has announced the complete restoration of air travel in the southern direction, lifting all previously imposed flight restrictions as of 9:00 a.m. Moscow time. The move marks a return to normal operations for airports across southern Russia, with air traffic control now running at full capacity and without limits on transit or flight volume.

According to the ministry, Saturday alone saw 441 flights carrying 63,800 passengers. As of 8:30 a.m. Sunday, the schedule included 277 regular flights to southern airports, with no cancellations reported. By Sunday morning, 83 flights had already departed, transporting 11,000 passengers.

The restrictions were initially put in place following safety concerns, but the ministry confirmed that the NOTAMs (notices to airmen) tied to those limitations have been canceled. The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia), the Transport Supervision Service (Rostransnadzor), and the Ministry of Transport continue to monitor the situation closely.

An emergency task force, established under the ministry at the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev, will remain active through May 12 to ensure a smooth transition back to full operations. For travelers heading south, the skies are open again.