Russian lowcost carrier Pobeda suspends remaining flights due to coronavirus

Russian lowcost airline Pobeda, a subsidiary of flagship carrier Aeroflot, will suspend all its domestic flights and stop flying altogether from April 1 until the end of May, the company said. Pobeda, which has already suspended international flights due to the coronavirus crisis, said it hoped the move would allow it to channel resources towards anti-crisis measures and to prepare for it restarting flights.

Russia, which has reported 1,036 cases of coronavirus, has stopped all international flights in and out of the country and on Friday ordered its vast network of state-run hotels, resorts and recreational facilities to shut down until June 1. "Now the most important thing is the health of our citizens. Therefore, we suspend flights and urge everyone to stay at home," Pobeda's head, Andrei Kalmykov, said.

The company said people who had bought tickets would be reimbursed, but that customers would have to spend the funds on Pobeda flights once they restart.