Support The Moscow Times!

European Low-Costers Will Start Flying to St. Petersburg in 2020, Ministry Says

The move follows the introduction of a special electronic visa system for tourists visiting St. Petersburg. Anna Zvereva / Wikicommons

Low-cost airline Ryanair and other budget carriers are expected to start flying from Russia's St. Petersburg airport in 2020, the Russian Transport Ministry said.

The move is part of Russia's plan to boost tourist flows to St. Petersburg and will mean more competition for Russian air carriers, including national flag carrier Aeroflot.

The ministry said on Tuesday that Ryanair, EasyJet, WizzAir, Volotea, AirBaltic and Fly One had expressed interest in flights from St. Petersburg's Pulkovo airport, Russia's fourth largest after Moscow's three major hubs.

It said the companies had applied for flights from Pulkovo, coded LED by the International Air Transport Association, to 22 countries, including Britain, Germany and France.

Russia will introduce a so-called "Open Skies" regime for the companies for five years, the ministry said, allowing airlines to fly to St. Petersburg without requiring the traditional bilateral inter-governmental agreements.

The move follows the introduction of a special electronic visa system for tourists visiting St. Petersburg which nationals from 53 countries can take advantage of.

… 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

Read more