Russian aviation agency allows S7 Airlines to carry out flights to Kutaisi after ban is removed
S7 Airlines will be able to carry out flights between Moscow and Kutaisi after the Russian-imposed ban on direct flights is removed. Photo: wingsherald.com.
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The Russian aviation agency has allowed S7 Airlines to carry out flights between Kutaisi and Moscow as soon as direct flights between the two countries are restored, Sova News and RIA Novosti report.
The Russian airline has been given consent from the state agency to carry out flights seven times a week.
The agency explained later that giving or prolongating permission to carry out flights “is an ordinary procedure,” and the company which was granted the right will be able to fly to Georgia after the ban on flights, imposed by the Russian government starting July 8, is removed.
Georgian Minister of Economy Natia Turnava has confirmed that the decision "does not mean the restoration of direct flights," as Georgia has not received any official note about it.
The restoration of flights is related to a range of formal procedures and our aviation agency has not received any official statement [from Russia] about the issue. However, we only welcome if such a decision is made and the direct flights are restored," Turnava said.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani stated earlier this month that direct flights between Georgia and Russia should be restored as it is “beneficial for both countries.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Ivanov also said that he accepts the restoration of direct flights.
Russia imposed the flight ban after Russian MPs were forced to leave Georgia on June 20 2019.
Georgians protested the address of Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov from the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker during the international forum – Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy early on June 20 in the situation when Russia occupies Georgian territories.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that direct flights with Russia, which was banned by the Russian government starting from July 8, should be resumed as the flights are important for people-to-people and humanitarian relations.
Russian airline Pobeda has asked the Ministry of Transport of Russia to clarify deadlines on when they will receive compensation for the financial loss the company has experienced due to the Russian-initiated suspension of direct flights to Georgia in July, Ekho Kavkaza reports.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference during the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York yesterday that at the recent meeting with his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani the issue of re-launching flights to Georgia was also raised.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that he would resume direct flights with Georgia, which were suspended in July 2019, as a majority of Georgians ‘have seen the negative sides’ of the ‘provocation staged’ in the Georgian parliament on June 20.He said that the Georgian opposition deliberately sparked unrest in the Georgian parliament after the address of Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov from the seat of the Georgian parliament speaker that day.