Anthony Palazzo and Guy Johnson

The world’s largest long-haul carrier plans to review flights to Russia following Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside the country over the weekend.

Dubai-based Emirates has contended with disruptions since the start of the war in early 2022, President Tim Clark said Monday in a Bloomberg Television interview. The airline, which has provided Moscow with crucial links to the outside world, has no current plan to curtail services but will monitor the developing situation, he said.

“This latest event was a little more worrying,” Clark said Monday at the International Air Transport Association’s annual gathering in New Delhi. “As things get a little bit more acute, if I can use that word, we’ll be reviewing all of this.”

Ukraine staged a dramatic series of strikes on Sunday, hitting at least four Russian air bases and destroying a number of warcraft. The attacks underscore Kyiv’s recent turn toward using sustained drone attacks against Moscow, causing flight disruptions that closed Russian airports several times last month.

Emirates has built “cast-iron” contingency plans into its operations, including carrying enough fuel to allow pilots to turn back if necessary from Russian airspace or Moscow-area landings, Clark said. “If there’s any sign of trouble we’re out.”

Most airlines based in Europe, the US and other countries that support Ukraine stopped flying to Russia or using the airspace shortly after the February 2022 invasion. Emirates and Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus are among a handful that have continued services.

Pegasus conducts daily reviews for both safety and operational disruptions, Chief Executive Officer Guliz Ozturk said in a separate Bloomberg TV interview.

“It’s a daily, even an hourly review,” she said, given aviation authorities issue frequent advisories and periodically close down airspace and airports. “As long as we see it’s safe to fly, and operationally it’s good to go, then we continue.”

Dubai, a major global crossroads in the Gulf, has provided a conduit for travel to Russia with daily Emirates flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Turkey has supported Ukraine but hasn’t imposed sanctions on Russia, allowing Pegasus and flag-carrier Turkish Airlines to maintain schedules. Executives at Turkish said they had no plans to halt Russian flights.

Ukraine has periodically targeted Moscow with drones since the start of the war, but the frequency and intensity of the attacks escalated significantly in May.

The shift signals a change in Ukrainian tactics and highlights Kyiv’s growing ability to test Russia’s air defenses – potentially increasing economic disruption and logistical pressure on the capital.

In this weekend’s actions, Ukraine claimed it hit four air bases and destroyed more than 40 Russian aircraft including long-range bombers. Russia’s defense ministry said five bases were attacked but only “a few aircraft units” were damaged at two locations.

The attacks took place as Russian and Ukrainian officials prepared for peace talks planned this week in Istanbul.  |  Bloomberg

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