Travel Industry Encouraged to Show Compassion Towards Passengers Flying with "Aeroflot" Airlines
Aeroflot Responds to IT Infrastructure Glitch, Changes Flight Schedules at Khabarovsk Airport
Following a significant cyberattack on Aeroflot in late July 2025, the Russian airline and the broader tourism industry have implemented measures to address the issues faced by passengers and restore operations.
The IT infrastructure glitch, which affected approximately 7,000 servers and disrupted booking, ticketing, and internal communication systems, has resulted in flights being cancelled or rescheduled. This has caused difficulties for thousands of passengers, who have been stranded at airports such as Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
In response to the ongoing glitch, Aeroflot has advised passengers to use the airline’s hotline or online platforms to rebook flights or request refunds within the next 10 days. Due to the destruction and encryption of core systems, ticket counters have been unable to process cancellations or rebookings directly.
The People’s Front, a Russian political group, has made an appeal to the tourism industry in response to the IT infrastructure glitch at Aeroflot. The appeal urges the industry to show understanding towards passengers affected by cancelled flights and suggests that travel agencies could promptly decide to refund the cost of paid tours for affected passengers or adjust the dates of tours for those affected.
The changes in the schedule at Khabarovsk Airport, as reported by the Habarovsk Krai Today news agency, are specific to flights SU1713 and SU1719. The departure time for SU1719 at Khabarovsk Airport has been changed from 11:20 to 11:50, and the departure time for SU1713 has been shifted from 15:45 to 16:45. These changes are part of Aeroflot’s efforts to manage the impact of the IT infrastructure glitch.
The People’s Front has also noted that passengers couldn’t arrive on time through no fault of their own. Aeroflot is prioritizing flights to the Far East, and the changes in the schedule at Khabarovsk Airport are a result of the ongoing IT infrastructure glitch.
On a broader scale, Russian governmental agencies have heightened investigative and protective efforts by opening a criminal case for illegal system access and coordinating cybersecurity and intelligence resources to manage the fallout from the attack and mitigate future risks. Public-private partnerships in cybersecurity have been encouraged to bolster defenses across the aviation sector.
The incident has also triggered a reassessment of Aeroflot’s IT infrastructure, highlighting the vulnerabilities caused by outdated software and weak employee credentials. Enhanced cybersecurity protocols, updates to critical systems, and improved employee security training are being prioritized to prevent similar breaches.
Though detailed recovery timelines and comprehensive passenger compensation measures remain fluid due to the scale of the damage, Aeroflot continues to focus on restoring its operational capabilities and customer service platforms while handling refund and rescheduling requests remotely.
In summary, Aeroflot’s recent measures include passenger guidance for rebooking and refunds via hotlines and online channels, intensified governmental cybersecurity actions, and steps toward upgrading and securing IT infrastructure to address the challenges arising from the recent IT glitch caused by a massive cyberattack.
- The Russian tourism industry, including Aeroflot, is working diligently to resolve the aftermath of a cyberattack, impacting travel plans and finance, as flight schedules have been disrupted due to the IT infrastructure glitch.
- The People's Front has requested the same understanding from the tourism industry toward passengers affected by flight cancellations or delays, suggesting travel agencies could financially compensate passengers through refunds or adjust tour dates.
- As part of the ongoing efforts to restore operations, Aeroflot has made changes to flight schedules at Khabarovsk Airport, affecting flights SU1713 and SU1719, and is prioritizing flights to the Far East to minimize delays caused by the IT infrastructure glitch. Additionally, the airline is focusing on upgrading and securing its IT infrastructure to prevent future attacks.
