Russia’s civil aviation agency Rosaviatsiya has lowered the maximum flight altitude near Moscow airports and banned transit flights over Moscow and the surrounding region, the Kremlin-aligned business newspaper Kommersant reported on July 22. Officials said the restrictions were introduced for security reasons.
The measures will apply within the Moscow terminal control area, the air traffic control zone covering the Russian capital’s aviation hub. Civilian aircraft in the area will be limited to an altitude of 4,900 meters, down from the previous ceiling of 8,550 meters.
Flights by both Russian and foreign airlines transiting over the Moscow region will also be banned. A corresponding NOTAM, or notice to airspace users, says the measures will remain in effect until at least Aug. 26. Rosaviatsiya, however, gave Kommersant a different date: Aug. 12.
The restrictions are being implemented with appeals to the need to ensure flight safety. Kommersant’s sources said the Defense Ministry initiated the measures amid a rise in Ukrainian drone attacks that began this spring. The transit ban will reduce flight traffic in the area, while the lower maximum altitude will allow aircraft to begin landing approaches more quickly.
However, airlines say the restrictions could extend flight times and increase fuel consumption. The transit ban through the Moscow aviation hub will have the most noticeable impact, potentially adding 20 to 30 minutes to routes that previously made their way through the Moscow region’s airspace.
The lower altitude limit, in turn, will force flights to reduce speed and increase fuel use. Crews will be able to climb to an efficient cruising altitude only after leaving the region, adding an average of 10 to 15 minutes to flights departing from Moscow. Kommersant’s sources said the lower permitted altitude also increases the risk of bird strikes.
