The unmanned threat caused widespread flight disruptions across southern Russia on Sunday, with airports in Sochi, Mineralnye Vody, and Stavropol recording scores of delayed and cancelled flights.

Flight tracking boards at Sochi's international airport — a major Black Sea resort destination — showed 103 flights delayed and 16 cancelled as of Saturday. Aircraft unable to land at Sochi were diverted to alternative airports in Makhachkala, Volgograd, and Mineralnye Vody.

Social media posts show the disruption and cancellations have led to tents being erected at Russia’s Sochi International Airport.

Some passengers waiting for their flight for more than a day are sleeping on the floor or pitching tents in the waiting area.

An excess of 70 flights have been delayed for departure, with many of them postponed by nearly 12 hours.

Mineralnye Vody Airport, also known as Minvody, was itself drawn into the disruption, with flights to both Moscow airports postponed and arrivals from Sochi called off. Services from Antalya, Tbilisi, Yerevan, Moscow, and St. Petersburg also faced delays.

Stavropol Airport, in Russia's North Caucasus region, was similarly affected, with a departure to Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport and an inbound flight from the Russian capital both delayed.

Source: news-pravda