Georgian Airways to launch new flights to Russia’s Yekaterinburg

Georgian Airways has announced plans to expand its flight network to Russia this summer, with a new route to the city of Yekaterinburg. The move comes amid “growing passenger demand” following the resumption of direct air travel between the two countries in 2023, the country director claimed.

Speaking in an interview with Russian media outlet RBC, the airline’s founder, Tamaz Gaiashvili, confirmed that the new service is expected to begin in the coming months. “I think flights to Yekaterinburg will start in the summer. We have enough planes, and I think we’ll manage two or three flights a week,” he said.

Georgian Airways currently operates flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk, with varying frequencies. According to Gaiashvili, the airline runs two daily flights at present, with plans to increase this to three in the summer season.

“During the winter, some routes were suspended, but since April, we’ve resumed flights to Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg and Moscow,” he said, noting that demand had increased significantly since the restoration of air links between Georgia and Russia.

The carrier operates eight Boeing aircraft and one regional jet, and also runs a separate cargo airline. Gaiashvili said his company has been handling cargo shipments to China for more than three years and is now preparing to launch passenger services to both China and India, supported by the recent acquisition of Boeing 767s.

“We are looking at expanding to India and China. The passenger flow, I believe, will be significant,” he said.

Asked about competition in the regional aviation market, Gaiashvili identified Turkish and Arab airlines as Georgian Airways’ main rivals. He acknowledged that Georgia has not yet established itself as a major transit hub, saying, “The Turks have rather occupied this market. We were able to take a small piece of the cake – thanks for that too.”

He added that Russian carriers account for around 80% of passenger traffic between Georgia and Russia, while Georgian Airways handles the remaining 20%, with some 15% of that linked to transit routes through Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Looking ahead, Gaiashvili did not rule out the possibility of acquiring Russian-made aircraft if production resumes in the future. “When Russian and Soviet aircraft were produced, they were among the best in the world. I think we won’t be disappointed again – let’s see how things develop,” he said, emphasising the “importance” of continued domestic aircraft manufacturing in Russia.

Direct flights between Georgia and Russia resumed in 2023 after Moscow lifted a four-year air travel ban. Georgian Airways currently operates three weekly flights to both Moscow and St. Petersburg, and two to Novosibirsk.