27,000 Russian tourists stuck abroad after new flight bans

According to the latest statement from the Travel Agencies’ Association of Russia, over 27,000 Russian travelers are stranded in the US, Europe and other places, after the countries around the world began shutting down their airspace for Russian airlines shortly after Moscow invaded Ukraine.

Thousands of Russian tourists had their flights home scrapped after the European Union and Canada closed their skies to Russian carriers in response to Moscow’s attack on Ukraine.

Nearly 200 Russin travelers were stuck on Madeira, a Portuguese island in the western Atlantic. Russian emergency flight sent to take them home was forced to make a U-turn mid-air and return to Moscow.

Russian travel agencies are scrambling to find alternative flights for their clients as most carriers canceled flights not only to Europe, but to North and Central America.

The Travel Agencies’ Association of Russia said that Russia’s flag carrier Aeroflot scrapped flights to New York, Washington, Miami, Los Angeles, and Cancun, Mexico.

Many countries shut their airspace for Russian air carriers immediately after Moscow launched a completely unprovoked attack on its pro-Western neighbor who appealed to the international community for help.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Sunday that the skies of the whole EU were closed to Russian aircraft.

Russia retaliated by banning flights of airlines from 36 countries and territories.