Emirates A380 Held in Russian Airspace During Moscow Airport Shutdown
An Emirates Airbus A380 flying from Dubai to Moscow circled for hours on 23 October 2026 after drone alerts closed all four Moscow airports. Flight EK133 was among dozens of services affected as arrivals were diverted or placed in holding patterns. The restrictions disrupted travel across the region.
Flight EK133, an Emirates A380 registered A6-EEM, was routed into repeated loops near the Penza–Mordovia boundary after Moscow’s four airports—Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky—stopped movements shortly after 14:00 local time. Tracking data cited in reports placed its landing at Domodedovo around 17:11, over two hours past the 14:50 schedule.
The disruption affected at least ten inbound flights, which were diverted or kept waiting away from the capital. The A380’s size and long-haul role made the delay notable: it can carry several hundred passengers, and the aircraft remained airborne while controllers waited for a safe reopening. No technical fault was publicly reported.
The shutdown may have left passengers on EK133 and other arrivals facing missed connections, extended waits and revised ground transport plans, while airport staff and airlines could have had to manage crowding and rebooking. Because Moscow’s main airports closed together, travelers across domestic and international routes may have felt knock-on delays, and confidence in time-sensitive journeys through the region could be tested.