Flight delays double and cancellations quadruple in Russia in early 2026

Russia has seen a dramatic deterioration in aviation punctuality in the first five months of 2026, with long delays doubling and cancellations rising fourfold compared to the same period last year. The data, compiled by AlfaStrakhovanie and reported by Kommersant, also shows that flight cancellations following prior delays have increased more than threefold.

Russia's aviation sector is facing a growing punctuality crisis in 2026, with new data showing a sharp rise in both delays and cancellations at Russian airports. According to figures compiled by insurer AlfaStrakhovanie and cited by the business newspaper Kommersant, the number of lengthy flight delays in Russia grew approximately twofold in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

The situation with outright cancellations is even more stark. The number of cancelled flights has risen fourfold year-on-year, while cancellations that followed an earlier delay — a particularly disruptive pattern for passengers — increased more than threefold over the same timeframe.

Russia's civil aviation industry has been under significant strain since Western sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 cut off access to spare parts and maintenance services for the predominantly Western-made aircraft in Russian airline fleets. Airlines have been forced to cannibalize aircraft for components, and the long-term sustainability of fleet maintenance has become a pressing concern for the industry. The worsening delay and cancellation statistics may reflect the cumulative toll of these operational challenges on the reliability of scheduled services.