Flydubai begins two new Russian routes despite economic slump

Dubai-based low cost carrier flydubai has started flights to the Russian cities of Novosibirsk and Nizhny Novogorod this week, increasing the airline’s destinations in Russia to 10.

The Siberian capital of Novosibirsk, the third most populous city in Russia, will be serviced three times per week. The airline will operate flights to Nizhny Novogorod twice per week.

Speaking in Novosibirsk, flydubai’s senior vice president Jeyhun Efendi confirmed that passenger numbers on Russian routes had fallen by 40 per cent in the last year because of the slowdown in the economy.

The airline also stopped flights to Volgograd because of dropping demand.

“These things obviously happen, but we hope it’s only a temporary situation and we expect growth. So for us it doesn’t matter- we prefer waiting and coming to the market first, ” he told Gulf Business.

“We can also adjust our capacity depending on the numbers and demand,” he added.

The airline currently flies to Moscow, Kazan, Krasnodar, Mineralnye Vody, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, Ufa and Yekaterinburg.

The new route to Novosibirsk is hoped to facilitate easier international travel for tourists and businessmen across Siberia, said director general of the city’s Tolmachevo Airport Evgeny Yankilevich.

The airport sees around four million annual visitors out of which can around 40 per cent fly internationally.

While most of them use charter services at present, scheduled services from operators such as flydubai will help grow and sustain visitor numbers, he added.

Ticket prices to Novosibirsk start from Dhs 1,146 for economy passengers and Dhs 5,877 for business class.

Prices to Nizhny Novogorod are priced at Dhs 1, 065 for economy and Dhs 5,142 for business class passengers.