TASS: flights to Sochi through closed airspace will be allowed from August 30

Russian airlines from next week will be able to operate direct flights to Sochi through part of the airspace that has been closed since February 24. About this with reference to the source informs TASS.

“Airlines will be able to operate “straightened” flights to Sochi through part of the closed airspace in the south of the country from August 30, a meeting-clarification on flights for airlines will take place on Monday,” the agency’s source said.

He added that if the route is changed, the travel time will be reduced by about 30-35 minutes.

the day before RBC with reference to sources in five Russian airlines informedthat the authorities will discuss the possibility of civil aircraft using part of the airspace in the south of the country, which has been closed since February 24 due to the military operation in Ukraine. It was noted that the decision will reduce the time of flights to Sochi airport from Vnukovo by more than 20 minutes, and back by 10 minutes.

11 airports in southern Russia have remained closed for more than six months. On August 17, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that the Cabinet of Ministers had decided to expand support for airports by another 2.5 billion rubles. The prime minister noted that additional trains and intercity buses were launched to those cities where air traffic was suspended in order to solve the logistical problems that had arisen.

Last time Rosaviatsiya extended temporary restriction on flights to the airports of Anapa, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Gelendzhik, Krasnodar, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov-on-Don, Simferopol and Elista until September 4, 03:45 Moscow time.