Articles tagged “russia”

All Russian airlines must cope with mass cancellations and refunds, echoing the early days of the pandemic. For instance, Aeroflot and S7, Russia's two largest airlines, said they were halting flights to the dozens of countries they serve.

In Skift's top stories this week, TUI Group's largest shareholder is a prominent supporter of Vladimir Putin, Expedia stops offering travel to and from Russia, and hotels and hostels set aside beds for Ukrainian refugees.

The global travel industry is split over doing business in Russia, although the vast majority of companies are abiding by the relevant economic sanctions. Moral outrage, self-interest, and disparate views over harming ordinary Russians are clashing big time.

Good morning from Skift. It's Friday, March 4, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Specialist employment and travel platforms are stepping up to help those fleeing Ukraine, from cryptocurrency payments to fast-tracking recruiting in new countries.

Sabre has stood apart from its travel tech peer companies by being the first to cease offering flights from Aeroflot. It's an unusual step as it comes at a cost to the company. The price of doing the right thing.

More and more tour operators view conducting business in Russia as toxic, and more importantly, prospective guests largely consider the country unsafe. So as long as Russia continues to wage war, there's no rush for tour operators to make immediate plans to return.

Speak up against the war and stop doing business with Russia as many firms already have. That's the message that Ivan Liptuga, president of the National Tourism Organization of Ukraine, has for the travel industry.

Mordashov's resignation from the TUI Group supervisory board has to be a tremendous relief to the world's largest tour operator, which can now in large part get on with its business. However, there is a substantial hangover: With his shares frozen, Mordashov still remains TUI Group's largest shareholder.

Expedia Group stepped out of the pack and ceased offering travel to and from Russia because of Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The company doesn't have a ton of Russia-related business, so even if the move is more symbolic than anything else, it is an important statement.