Passenger Baskov voices frustration over extended airport delay at Pulkovo.
At the bustling Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, a hassle bargain went down between passengers on a morning flight from Irkutsk and the airline, as reported by renowned Russian artist Nikolai Baskov, who savored the misfortune from his seat. Posted on Instagram, the singer's video showcased the passengers' plight, stuck on the aircraft for hours.
"Just landed in St. Petersburg from Irkutsk, and we've been on this plane for six long hours with no way off," Baskov summarized in his video (posted at 09:00 Moscow time). He voiced his concerns about the snaking line at the airport and the seemingly endless unloading process of the aircraft.
Similar complaints from a passenger on flight SU2137 from Istanbul surfaced on Pulkovo's VKontakte page. The passenger reported being trapped inside the plane for over 17 hours, adding to the cacophony of disgruntled travelers. When approached about the issue, a Pulkovo representative contextualized the situation, stating that if the airport serves as a backup, passenger disembarkation is at the airline's discretion.
The press service of "Airport Closures and Flight Cancellations" from rbc.group weighed in, clarifying that during the restrictions, Pulkovo had accepted all redirected flights as a backup airport, given that several airports in Russia had temporarily halted operations. The press release further suggested that flights were being dispatched to their destinations, although some aircraft were waiting for takeoff amid high-intensity takeoff and landing operations.
Inspectors from the North-Western Transport Prosecutor's Office kept a vigil at Pulkovo Airport to assist passengers dealing with delayed flights. As it turns out, the airport had accepted 74 aircraft as a backup on May 6 and 7, amid heightened military tensions expressed through increased drone attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. These attacks have instigated temporary closures of airports, resulting in extensive flight disruptions and delays.
To stay in the know, passengers are urged to check their flight status before committing to the airport. The current tug-of-war between Russia and Ukraine demonstrates a fluctuating air traffic climate, with drone attacks and security measures altering flight schedules, stranding passengers, and causing untimely inconveniences.
- "Despite being in Irkutsk earlier, I find myself stranded in Pulkovo Airport, stuck on a plane for hours, as evidenced by my recent Instagram post at 09:00 Moscow time."
- "Frustratingly, I heard from fellow travelers on flight SU2137 from Istanbul that they encountered a similar situation, being trapped inside the plane for over 17 hours."
- "Apparently, this issue stemmed from Pulkovo serving as a backup airport, a decision that allowed the airline to decide when passengers could disembark."
- "According to a press release from 'Airport Closures and Flight Cancellations' from rbc.group, Pulkovo accepted all redirected flights during the restrictions, a decision influenced by the temporary halting of operations at several other Russian airports."
- "However, this tumultuous situation seems to be politically influenced, with the general-news highlighting increased drone attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, leading to several airports' temporary closures, air traffic disruptions, and inconveniences for passengers like myself."
