Tbilisi, Moscow Agree on Expanding Direct Regular Flights

Georgian and Russian civil aviation authorities have agreed to expand direct regular flights between the two countries as a result of talks, which were concluded this week, the Georgian Economy Ministry said on Wednesday.

Russia cut regular direct air flights with Georgia in October, 2006, following spy row between the two countries. The flights were restored in late March, 2008, but were again suspended after the August war. In 2010 the Georgian Airways and Russia’s Sibir Airlines launched flights, which were formally dubbed as “charter” flights, but were actually conducted on a regular basis. Regular direct flights were resumed in October 2014, but only on Tbilisi-Moscow route.

According to the new arrangement, the Georgian Economy Ministry said, in addition to Moscow, the Georgian air carriers will also be able to conduct flights on a regular basis to six other Russian cities – St. Petersburg; Samara; Yekaterinburg; Sochi; Rostov-on-Don and Mineralnye Vody. The Georgian Airways launched flights between Tbilisi and St. Petersburg from April 10.

Along with Tbilisi, Russian air carriers will also be able to conduct regular flights to Kutaisi and Batumi.

On frequency of flights, the Economy Ministry said, the agreement envisages 18 flights per week from each side on Tbilisi-Moscow route during the winter period and 21 in summer.

Number of flights between other cities will be unrestricted, as it was before the suspension of regular flights between the two countries.

The agreement was reached as a result of series of meetings between civil aviation authorities of the two countries, which were held in Tbilisi with participation of the Georgian Foreign Ministry officials in presence of Swiss diplomats, according to the Economy Ministry. Switzerland acts as a diplomatic mediator between Russia and Georgia since the two countries have cut diplomatic relations after the August 2008 war.

According to the Economy Ministry number of airline passengers between Russia and Georgia has increased 49% year-on-year in a period between November, 2014 and February, 2015.

Georgian Airways, which has long been against of allowing Russian air carriers to carry out large number of flights, complains about the arrangement arguing that the agreement fits only the interests of the Russian airlines. Iase Zautashvili, general director of the Goergian Airways, claims that figures on airline passengers, released by the Economy Ministry, are overinflated and there is no need for 18 and 21 flights per week from each side. Georgian Airways fears that it won’t be able to cope with competition with the Russian air carriers, which, it claims, will apply dumping practices.