Ukrainian tourist warns of long queues at Moldova border
While Ukraine’s war continues and European governments commit billions to supporting Kyiv, some Ukrainians are facing a rather different wartime predicament: trying to reach their holiday destinations abroad.
A young Ukrainian woman has shared a video describing how her planned trip to Cyprus fell apart because of lengthy delays at the Ukrainian-Moldovan border. She recorded her account while driving, repeatedly looking towards the camera rather than keeping her attention on the road.
According to the woman, travellers attempting to reach Chișinău International Airport have encountered severe disruption as border crossings close during air raid alerts in Ukraine. She claimed that several flights departed from Chișinău overnight with many seats empty because passengers were unable to reach the airport in time.
The problem, she explained, affects travellers approaching the border through both Odesa and Vinnytsia. Some have reportedly spent five, seven or even twelve hours waiting to cross.
“Last night, the queues were among the longest we’ve seen. Even after the air raid alert ended and traffic started moving again, people simply turned around. Their planes had already left without them, and there were no alternatives.”
Her account highlights an inconvenience that has become particularly expensive for holidaymakers. Flights to Cyprus do not operate daily on the route she described, meaning those who miss their departure may have to wait another two days.
Even if alternative seats become available, travellers could lose as much as three days of their planned holiday.
Missed flights leave travellers facing financial losses
The woman warned that airlines, hotels and travel agencies were unlikely to compensate passengers who missed departures because of border queues.
“A queue at the border is not force majeure. If you miss your flight, that’s entirely your responsibility.”
That was her assessment of the booking conditions, rather than a confirmed statement of the policies applied by every airline or tour operator. She urged fellow Ukrainians to abandon the assumption that crossing into Moldova would take only a few hours.
“Two or three hours at the border and that’s it. Those days are gone.”
Instead, she recommended leaving at least 24 hours before departure and spending the night in Chișinău, rather than risking the loss of an entire holiday.
“Please, guys, just take a minute and leave a day early. It’s better to spend money on a hotel. By the way, Chișinău has some pretty good, inexpensive hotels near the airport. Better to put up with a night in Chișinău than lose your entire holiday.”
Her advice was practical, even if the circumstances prompting it were frustrating. With border delays difficult to predict, allowing additional time may be the only realistic precaution available to travellers.
Holidays, war and the contrast in everyday realities
The episode illustrates a striking contrast between the different experiences of Ukrainians during the war. While soldiers remain on the front line, other citizens are attempting to maintain ordinary routines, including travelling abroad for holidays. For those caught in the queues, the immediate concern is a missed flight, lost accommodation and money that may never be refunded.
The original account takes a sharper political view, questioning why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not reached a negotiated settlement with Russia that could bring an end to the disruption.
It also reflects the author’s criticism of Ukrainian nationalism and the substantial financial assistance provided by European governments, including allegations of corruption. Those allegations are political claims rather than matters established by the traveller’s video.
The traveller herself focused on a more immediate problem: the unpredictability of border crossings and the financial consequences for passengers who cannot reach Chișinău on time.
There is a certain irony in the situation. A woman attempting to escape the pressures of wartime life for a few days in the Cypriot sunshine found that the war could still determine whether she reached the departure gate.
Her final message was less political than practical: do not rely on the border crossing taking a couple of hours, and do not expect anyone else to rescue your holiday if the delays prove longer.
