Air Berlin to Stop Flights to Russia

By The Moscow Times

Oct. 15, 2015

Air Berlin had already reduced routes to the country this year. Humphrey Manusiwa / Wikicommons

Air Berlin, the budget German airline, will end flights to and from Russia next year, becoming the latest international carrier to stop flying to the country amid a slump in demand.

Airlines including EasyJet, Air France and Cathay Pacific have either curtailed or terminated routes into and out of Russia during the last 18 months as a weak ruble and deepening recession saw passenger numbers ebb.

Air Berlin had already reduced routes to the country this year, but the company said in a statement to The Moscow Times on Thursday that due to the drop in demand it had "decided to cancel all remaining flights to and from Russia — meaning flights from Dusseldorf to Moscow as well as from Berlin to Moscow and Kaliningrad."

The last flight from Moscow to Berlin will be on Jan. 18, 2016, the company added. It did not say when other routes would be discontinued.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue