Kaliningrad Unveils Open Skies Policy To Attract Asian Airlines & Tourists
Kaliningrad’s Khrabrovo Airport intends to attract airlines from the Persian Gulf and Asia with its open skies policy.
Airport CEO Alexander Korytny has stated that “The open skies regime of the Seventh Freedom of the Air established for Khrabrovo Airport by the Federal Air Transport Agency as of October 1 opens up new opportunities for us to attract foreign airlines. Now we have an official document on this score. Using the unique geographical location of the airport, as well as various discounts on our services, we will more actively and persistently work on this issue with airlines of the UAE, Qatar and other countries in Asia. We will devote attention to carriers who currently fly to Russia.”
He said that negotiations are already being held with Turkish Airlines, which operates charter flights to Kaliningrad five times a week. However, the charter program will be concluded in late November, and there might be demand for regular flights from Kaliningrad to Istanbul, especially as Turkish aircraft fly this route directly through the European Union without any restrictions.
Belarussian airlines Belavia also flies to Kaliningrad from Minsk, but its flights go around the Baltic countries over the Baltic Sea.
The open skies policy that Russia’s Air Transport Agency introduced for Kaliningrad will last for two years and allows foreign airlines to fly to and from Kaliningrad using the third, four, fifth and seventh “freedoms of the air.” The Seventh Freedom of the Air allows an airline to fly passengers and cargo between two foreign countries without flying on to its own country.
Kaliningrad is a Russian enclave on the Baltic Sea coast yet is separated from Russia itself by Lithuania and Latvia. A Russian visa is required to enter the territory, known for long white sandy beaches and an unusual culture comprising parts of the old Prussian Empire that existed until 1947. It is also famous for its amber deposits, with polished gem quality pieces gaining in popularity throughout Asia, as the stone is considered lucky. It is sometimes consumed as a medical aid dissolved in alcohol. Kaliningrad was named as the world’s top emerging destination by Tripadvisor in 2020.
There is more about Kaliningrad as a tourist destination here.
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