Early in the morning on Monday last week, Vladimir Shevchuk, 38, his wife, and their two children arrived at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, suitcases full of beachwear and ready to fly to the Turkish beach destination Antalya for a long-planned summer break. Like tens of thousands of Muscovites, the Shevchuks were hoping to escape the city’s heat for their summer holidays, until an announcement rang out across the terminal: all flights suspended.
They spent the day – and night – sleeping on the airport’s concrete floor, waiting for updates. It wasn’t until the next morning that they were told their flight had been rescheduled for later in the week.
