To all the dozens of journos who bought tickets on Aeroflot's flight from Moscow to Havana just so they can instagram Snowden sitting in 17A using countless creative photofilters, we hope said purchase was refundable, because the plane took off and the famous NSA whistleblower was not on it.
Reuters confirms:
A Russian plane left Moscow for Havana on Monday but there was no sign that former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden was on board, a Reuters correspondent on the plane said.
A flight attendant said Snowden was not on the plane, and the seat he had been expected to occupy was taken by another passenger. A source at Russian carrier Aeroflot, which was operating the flight, said: "He didn't take the flight."
So: Is Edward staying in Russia while Putin think of just what honorary title to bequeath upon the just turned 30 year old (and have him share a house with Obelix), or is he simply waiting out for a flight that won't be full of kibbitzing reporters? Since he just happens to be a former superspy, both seem possible outcomes.