Russia to resume flights with 52 ‘friendly’ countries
Russia is set to resume flights with 52 “friendly countries,” according to Moscow news agency TASS.
The Kremlin said today it would end its ban – imposed as a retaliation against the West – and would resume routes to and from countries such as Argentina and South Africa.
The decision comes after the Russian Government announced on Saturday it would provide 100bn roles (919.3m) to help the aviation sector, especially the domestic one, stay afloat after Western powers such as the UK, US and EU imposed sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine war.
Analytics company Acuity Knowledge Partners said the airspace ban battered the Russian aviation sector.
Airlines such as Aeroflot Group, Ural Airlines and S7 Airlines held around 70 per cent of the country’s aviation market and generated substantial revenue from the international market.
Russians were also prevented from buying tickets online after booking software company Sabre cut its ties.
Because of sanctions, Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport was forced last month to furlough around 7,000 people – around 40 per cent of its staff, Morning Wire reported.
General director Mikhail Vasilenko wrote to staff last week to say the decision “was out of the control of the employer and employees” but linked to the “critical decrease in passenger traffic” following the closure of Russian airspace.