Belarus seeks to increase air traffic with Russia amid sanctions – Semashko
MINSK, Jul 12 - PrimePress. Belarus is hoping for an increase in the air traffic with Russia amid Western sanctions. In particular, Belavia airline is considering starting regular flights to Mineralnye Vody and Anapa and resuming flights to Sochi and Krasnodar, Belarus’ Ambassador to Russia Vladimir Semashko told RIA Novosti.<br> <br> As previously reported, after the incident with the emergency landing of the Ryanair plane in Minsk on May 23, 2021 and the flight restrictions that followed, Belavia national airline was banned from more than two-thirds of destinations, as a number of countries closed their airspace for the company. As of early June, Belavia can make flights to 21 countries, having nine open destinations: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the UAE. Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway joined the ban Belarusian air carriers from their airspace and airports in the EU in the second half of June. The Belarusian government estimates the total loss incurred by the aviation industry at $10.3 million per month.<br> <br> “Of course, we are seeking to increase air traffic with the Russian Federation. We are actively discussing options to increase the number of flights from Belarus to Russian cities. Belavia is considering opening regular flights to Mineralnye Vody and Anapa and resuming flights to Sochi and Krasnodar,” Semashko said.<br> <br> “We hope that Russia will support us in this difficult situation in the context of the political and economic pressure on Belarus by the European countries,” said the ambassador. <br> <br> He said that Belavia had increased the frequency of flights to Istanbul, Tbilisi and Batumi and the number of charter flights to Egypt and Turkey.<br> <br> Semashko said Belarus was going to attract foreign carriers to perform flights to the Minsk National Airport. “We are in talks with the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Azerbaijan and Qatar,” he said. End<br> <br>
2021-07-12
Primepress
Belarus seeks to increase air traffic with Russia amid sanctions – Semashko
As previously reported, after the incident with the emergency landing of the Ryanair plane in Minsk on May 23, 2021 and the flight restrictions that followed, Belavia national airline was banned from more than two-thirds of destinations, as a number of countries closed their airspace for the company. As of early June, Belavia can make flights to 21 countries, having nine open destinations: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the UAE. Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway joined the ban Belarusian air carriers from their airspace and airports in the EU in the second half of June. The Belarusian government estimates the total loss incurred by the aviation industry at $10.3 million per month.
“Of course, we are seeking to increase air traffic with the Russian Federation. We are actively discussing options to increase the number of flights from Belarus to Russian cities. Belavia is considering opening regular flights to Mineralnye Vody and Anapa and resuming flights to Sochi and Krasnodar,” Semashko said.
“We hope that Russia will support us in this difficult situation in the context of the political and economic pressure on Belarus by the European countries,” said the ambassador.
He said that Belavia had increased the frequency of flights to Istanbul, Tbilisi and Batumi and the number of charter flights to Egypt and Turkey.
Semashko said Belarus was going to attract foreign carriers to perform flights to the Minsk National Airport. “We are in talks with the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Azerbaijan and Qatar,” he said. End