Key Takeaways
• Seventy-four planes diverted to Pulkovo Airport due to widespread drone attacks across Russia on May 6-7, 2025.
• Airports in Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Ivanovo, and Yaroslavl temporarily closed amid security concerns, causing mass flight disruptions.
• Travelers faced long waits, missed connections, and airlines struggled to provide food, water, and basic services during the chaos.
On May 6-7, 2025, Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia 🇷🇺, faced a very challenging and rare event. Over just two days, 74 airplanes had to land there unexpectedly because their original airports could not let them in. This sudden change created big problems for airport staff, travelers, airlines, and everyone else involved in travel that week. The scoop? Drone attacks across Russia 🇷🇺 led to massive flight disruptions.
What Happened at Pulkovo Airport?
Pulkovo Airport is the main airport in St. Petersburg, Russia 🇷🇺. On these two days, it was pushed far past its usual limits. So, why did this happen? Because Russia 🇷🇺 was dealing with a series of drone attacks. These attacks made it unsafe for planes to fly or land at several major airports, especially in Moscow. As a result, many airplanes on their way to Moscow and other cities had to quickly pick a new place to land. Pulkovo became the top choice, and it had to take on much more than it usually does.
If you picture dozens of airplanes that should have been spread out at different airports all gathering in one spot, you can imagine the chaos. Airport staff had to quickly figure out how to park the planes, help passengers, and manage limited ground resources.
How Did the Drone Attacks Disrupt Flights in Russia?
The heart of the problem was the drone attacks on Russian territory. These attacks had major ripple effects:
- Moscow’s airports, which are among the busiest in the country, were temporarily shut down.
- Air traffic was slowed down or stopped across central Russia 🇷🇺.
- Regional airports in cities like Nizhny Novgorod, Ivanovo, and Yaroslavl also had to pause operations.
- All these changes happened quickly, based on orders from Russian aviation officials who were worried about safety.
The goal behind stopping flights in certain areas was to keep people safe, since drones in the sky can cause accidents with airplanes. But this careful approach created a new set of problems—where would all these planes land if the usual options were not available?
It wasn’t the first time that Pulkovo had faced drone-related trouble. Only nine days earlier, it had closed briefly because of a similar threat near the Leningrad region. Back then, 17 flights had to be redirected.
If you want official updates on restricted airspace in Russia 🇷🇺, you can find information on the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency’s website here.
What Was the Situation Like at Pulkovo Airport?
The sudden shock of 74 extra planes hit Pulkovo Airport hard. Here’s what happened next:
- Airplane Traffic Jam: A long line of airplanes formed on the tarmac. Each one had to wait for a spot to park.
- Parking Crunch: Because space was limited, planes moved to parking areas, shut off their engines, and waited—often for a long time.
- Shortage of Boarding Ladders: There simply weren’t enough ladders for passengers to exit the planes.
- Long Waits for Ground Services: Ground workers were stretched thin. It took up to two hours or more before they could help each plane.
- Unhappy Passengers: Many people had to wait inside their planes for hours, unable to get off and sometimes unsure of what would happen next.
The airport, which usually handles traffic in a very organized way, was struggling to keep up. With more planes and passengers than ever, things became uncomfortable for travelers who just wanted to reach their destinations.
Imagine how it would feel to land after a long flight and then learn you could be waiting for hours longer inside the airplane, just because there are not enough steps to let everyone off.
How Did This Affect Travelers and Airlines Across Russia?
What went on at Pulkovo was just a small piece of the bigger puzzle. The drone attacks caused major disruptions all over Russia 🇷🇺. Here are some key facts on what passengers and airlines faced:
- Aeroflot, Russia’s biggest airline, canceled 52 flights leaving Moscow and 54 flights heading to Moscow. That’s over 100 flights gone in a day.
- More than 140 flights to and from Moscow were delayed, out of about 280 planned trips for that day.
- Other airlines like Pobeda, S7, Ural Airlines, Azur Air, Nordwind, and Nordstar also faced delays, with many flights canceled or forced to land somewhere else.
- Ural Airlines, for example, had 18 flights canceled, 9 planes redirected, and roughly 40 flights delayed.
- Within airport terminals across Russia 🇷🇺, crowds built up quickly. Many passengers waited hours and in some cases, they were stuck overnight because flights could not take off.
- The airlines and airports were not able to provide basic comforts like food, water, or places to sleep for everyone, which made things even more difficult.
From families waiting to start vacations, to businesspeople trying to make important meetings, or immigrants making a new life in Russia 🇷🇺—everyone was affected.
Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that these sorts of sudden and widespread flight changes can also delay visa processes and cause missed connections for international travelers and those starting a new job or school in Russia 🇷🇺.
Why Are Drone Attacks Causing This Much Trouble?
In the last year, Russia 🇷🇺 has experienced several incidents with drones that have led to travel restrictions and delays. Drones can create a risk for planes because they might get in the way during takeoff or landing, or worse, cause an accident. That is why, even when there are just rumors or short-term threats, airports take steps to stop or slow air traffic.
This pattern is not new. In January 2025, for example, there were temporary suspensions at Pulkovo Airport after drone threats surfaced over the nearby Gulf of Finland. These earlier events were smaller than this May incident but showed a worrying trend: drone activity keeps interrupting normal flights.
If these attacks keep happening, airports in Russia 🇷🇷 may have to keep making fast changes to protect people, which means more travel chaos for travelers and airlines.
What Can Airlines and Airports Do in Response?
When incidents like this happen, airlines and airports must work together quickly to keep people safe and try to get travel plans back to normal. Here’s how they often respond:
- Emergency Landings: Planes on the way to affected areas must land at the nearest safe airport, creating sudden spikes in traffic at alternate airports.
- Ground Coordination: Airport staff and air traffic controllers have to communicate constantly, making sure every plane is parked safely and that resources like fuel, steps, and buses are stretched as far as possible.
- Passenger Care: Airlines and airports try to organize food, water, and sleeping places for stranded passengers. It can be hard to meet everyone’s needs, especially in large emergencies.
- Info Updates: Staff must keep passengers informed, but when the situation changes quickly, it’s tough to provide answers.
During this event at Pulkovo, many of these efforts struggled to keep up with the scale of the issue. There simply weren’t enough staff, equipment, or space to handle 74 extra airplanes smoothly while also taking care of all the usual flights.
What Does This Mean for International Travelers and Immigrants?
Events like the Pulkovo Airport chaos can affect travelers and immigrants in many ways. For people coming to Russia 🇷🇺 for work or study, missing connecting flights or visa appointments can lead to delays and increased costs. International students, skilled workers, and families waiting to settle in Russia 🇷🇺 may find it harder to stick to their plans during times of travel instability.
For example, if someone’s visa is about to expire and they’re stuck at the airport, or they miss an important embassy appointment, the stress and trouble can be serious. These kinds of disruptions can also affect international businesses relying on workers or shipments moving through Russia 🇷🇺.
Airlines and immigration offices may need to look at ways to give extra support during these unusual times, such as flexible bookings or help with rebooking missed appointments. It’s also possible that more travelers will choose to fly through other countries to avoid risks connected with Russia’s 🇷🇺 current security problems.
Comparing to Past Incidents—Is This the New Normal?
The May 2025 chaos at Pulkovo stands out because of its scale, but it’s not the first time airports in Russia 🇷🇺 have been affected by drone activity. The pattern is growing clearer: as drones become easier to use, so does the risk to busy airspaces.
In January 2025 and April 2025, Pulkovo and other airports paused flights or closed runways after drone scares. While those earlier events were smaller, this new incident is a warning sign that the threat is getting more serious and may happen more often.
This could lead to more:
- Unstable schedules for flights to, from, or within Russia 🇷🇺
- Higher ticket prices, as airlines face more risk and increased costs
- Extra stress and inconvenience for travelers, immigrants, and businesspeople
- Delays in restarting businesses, jobs, or classes for those arriving from abroad
Wider Impacts: How Does This Affect Russia’s Image and Economy?
Travel disruptions at Pulkovo Airport and across Russia 🇷🇺 do more than just inconvenience travelers. They can harm the country’s reputation abroad. Tourists may choose to visit other countries if they hear horror stories about being stuck on planes for hours or waiting in crowded terminals without food or water.
Business travelers may look for other places to hold meetings and invest, if they worry that future travel could be stopped by security threats. The costs for airlines and airports are also high—they have to spend more on fuel, food, services, and even things like buying more mobile stairways for future emergencies.
When immigrants or international students hear about these problems, they might change their minds about moving to Russia 🇷🇺, or ask for more help with visa deadlines and rebooking flights.
What Should Travelers Expect and Do?
If you or someone you know plans to travel to or through Russia 🇷🇺 in the near future, it’s important to:
- Check flight status regularly and be ready for last minute changes
- Contact airlines or embassies if you’re worried about visa or travel delays
- Keep emergency supplies (water, snacks, battery chargers) on hand
- Be patient and prepared for possible long waits, especially during times of increased risk
Also, keep an eye out for updates from official sources and news sites, such as the Russian Ministry of Transport, which provides English updates and travel advice.
In Summary
The events of May 6-7, 2025 at Pulkovo Airport in Russia 🇷🇺 show how quickly things can change when security threats like drone attacks affect air travel. Seventy-four planes landing at one airport, long delays, and suffering passengers brought out weaknesses in the system. Airlines, airports, and passengers were forced to deal with a tough and unexpected reality.
For international travelers, immigrants, and workers, these incidents highlight the need for extra care and flexibility when planning trips to Russia 🇷🇺, and underline how world events can change the meaning of a simple flight. Whether you’re moving for work, study, or family reasons, prepare for the unexpected and use reliable sources like VisaVerge.com for travel and immigration information.
As drone technology continues to spread, countries all over the world—not just Russia 🇷🇺—may face similar problems. Learning from what happened at Pulkovo Airport will be key to making air travel safer, more reliable, and better for everyone.
Learn Today
Pulkovo Airport → The main international airport serving St. Petersburg, Russia, which became the primary diversion site during the May 2025 crisis.
Drone Attacks → Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) incursions causing safety risks, forcing Russian airports to shut down or reroute flights for security.
Ground Services → Support operations such as refueling, boarding, and cleaning that facilitate airplane functions and passenger disembarkation at airports.
Visa Processes → Procedures for obtaining legal permission to enter, work, or remain in a country; often disrupted by major travel delays or schedule changes.
Federal Air Transport Agency → Russian government agency (Rosaviatsiya) responsible for regulating and coordinating civil aviation and air travel safety measures.
This Article in a Nutshell
Drone attacks across Russia forced 74 airplanes to land unexpectedly at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport in May 2025. Major Moscow airports closed, causing delays, cancellations, and overcrowding. Airlines couldn’t meet basic needs for stranded travelers, impacting international passengers’ connections and immigration plans. Uncertainty continues as drone threats challenge Russian aviation’s stability and reliability.
— By VisaVerge.com
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