Air Tanzania Suspends Moscow Flights Amid Rising Ukraine Drone Threat. It Is The First Airline To Do So

Air Tanzania has temporarily suspended its flights between Dar es Salaam and Moscow following a routine risk assessment of the operating environment along the route, as concerns over the safety of civil aviation in Russian airspace intensify amid the Russia Ukraine war. The airline announced that flights TC422 and TC423 will be suspended from September 4, 2026. Air Tanzania said the decision followed its continuous assessment of operating conditions across its network, stressing that safety considerations take precedence over commercial interests. The suspension comes days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned international airlines, insurers and operators using Russian airports that Russian airspace was becoming increasingly dangerous because of expanding Ukrainian drone operations inside Russia. Zelensky said Ukraine was not targeting civilian aviation, but warned that the growing presence of drones over Russia meant airlines needed to account for the risk. Ukraine subsequently notified the International Civil Aviation Organization that it considered Russian airspace unsafe for civilian aviation because of increased military activity and urged airlines to avoid it. Air Tanzania Press Statement Air Tanzania has not stated that the Ukrainian warnings specifically triggered its decision, and its public notice attributes the suspension to its own risk assessment of the route. The timing, however, comes as the aviation risk surrounding Russia has become more pronounced, with Ukrainian authorities warning that the scale of drone operations inside Russian territory is expected to increase. Passengers holding tickets for the affected flights will be offered a full refund or rebooking to an alternative date or routing at no additional cost. Air Tanzania said it will continue monitoring conditions in consultation with relevant authorities and will announce the resumption of the Moscow service once its assessment supports a return to operations.