Georgian Airways has announced the launch of a new flight route connecting Tbilisi with Novosibirsk. The flights are scheduled to operate from September 28 to October 20, with services twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
The initial announcement was made on the website of Novosibirsk’s Tolmachevo airport, and the information was later confirmed on the Georgian Airways website. However, ticket sales for the flights have not yet begun as the airline is still finalizing the details. The decision to establish this route was influenced by the large Georgian diaspora residing in Novosibirsk, according to Georgian Airways.
In addition to this new route, Georgian Airways already operates flights between Tbilisi and Moscow, as well as Tbilisi and St. Petersburg. The airline also offers transit flights to various EU countries.
Russian airlines Red Wings and Azimuth currently operate flights from Georgian cities to several Russian destinations, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Zhukovo, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Samara, Mineralnye Vody, and Ufa. In June alone, over 400 direct flights were conducted between Georgian and Russian cities.
The resumption of direct flights between Russia and Georgia was authorized by Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 19, 2023. This move has drawn criticism from the United States, the European Union, and Ukraine, who have expressed concerns over Georgia’s growing economic ties with Moscow. Following the resumption of flights, Ukraine imposed sanctions on Georgian Airways and its founder, Tamaz Gaiashvili, who has criticized the sanctions as “absurd and unfair.”
