Overworked Pilots With 'Nothing To Fly': How War In Ukraine Is Crippling Russia's Aeroflot.
The pilots and passengers were in their seats; the planes ready for takeoff. But over 350 flights could not depart on schedule from Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport over two days in June. Aeroflot, Russia's state-owned flagship carrier, which claims to be one of the world's largest airlines, had run out of cabin crews.
This tale was shared on the channel Aviatorshchina, a Russian airline-industry forum.
And it was not a onetime event. In late July, a shortage of pilots led to the cancellation of 68 Aeroflot flights out of Sheremetyevo, several other flights were postponed.
Two and a half years after the start of the full-scale war, hampered by sanctions that have increased costs and reduced revenues, Aeroflot cannot always find the planes, pilots, and crew it needs to operate efficiently.