Russian flight attendants having problems with visas in the US

Фото: Depositphotos

The airline "Aeroflot" is faced with a visa problem flight attendants who accompany flights to the United States.

“We just received information from Aeroflot - now only those flight attendants who still have valid visas fly to the states. They haven’t been able to make new extensions for a month!... so soon there will be no one to fly there....),” wrote in Facebook director of the company Messenger Travel Alexey Dorosh (spelling and punctuation preserved).

Dorosh explained “Vedomosti"That he knows about the problems of the largest Russian air carrier from its employees and the company that deals with the issuance of visas.

Since August 23, the US Embassy in Russia has suspended the issuance of non-immigrant visas due to a reduction in the number of consulate staff at the request of Russia. From September 1, acceptance of documents for a US visa has resumed.

Due to the lack of staff, appointments at the embassy for visas are already scheduled for October-November, says Dorosh, and on Friday it turned out that extending a visa is now equivalent to obtaining a new one, and for this you also need to schedule an interview - previously it was enough to send documents through Pony Express.

Aeroflot is the only Russian airline operating flights to the United States. He flies to New York (three times a day), Los Angeles (once a day) and Miami (three times a week). From the American airlines only flies to Russia Delta (once a day from New York and only in the summer schedule).

“Sanitary standards suggest that after a long flight, especially in the United States, flight personnel must take a break to rest. There are no international transit zones as such at US airports, so a flight requires a visa in any case, ”the site’s editor explains. aviablogger.com Konstantin Parfenenok.

The representative of Aeroflot declined to comment. A source in Aeroflot claims that the carrier has enough crews with open visas, and the situation will not affect the flight program.

Two partners of Aeroflot say that there are no priorities for flight attendants and even pilots when obtaining a visa, so the problem should also concern pilots.

The tacit confrontation between Russia and the United States began in December last year, when the administration of US President Barack Obama imposed sanctions against 9 Russian institutions, companies and individuals, including against the GRU and the FSB, for “interfering in elections and putting pressure on American diplomats” working in Russia.

Also USA closed access to two residential complexes - the so-called suburban "dachas" of the Russian Permanent Representation in New York and the embassies in Washington, which are Russian diplomatic property. In addition, persona non grata are announced 35 Russian diplomats. They were expelled from the country on the eve of New Year's Eve.

Given the change of power in the United States, Russia was in no hurry to respond. However, in early August of this year, Moscow decided to cut The number of American diplomats accredited in Russia per 755 is from about 1,2 thousands of people currently working in Russia.

In addition, Russia has not forgotten about diplomatic dachas and reported that “the Russian side suspendssince 1 in August, the US Embassy in Russia will use all storage facilities on Dorozhnaya Street in Moscow and summer cottages in Serebryanny Bor. ”

In response to such measures 23 August Washington decided to pause issuing non-immigrant visas throughout Russia. The issuance of documents was resumed from September 1, but in a reduced volume and only in Moscow. Therefore, the embassy staff recommended that Russians apply for permission to enter the United States at consulates in other states.

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