WORLD ROUTES: Transaero Awaits Traffic Rights to Launch to Prague

Transaero Airlines is set to launch a new route between Moscow and Prague next summer if it can secure the traffic rights next month. The Russian carrier revealed the news at the 20th World Route Development Forum in Chicago yesterday.

Deputy head of external relations, Alexander Delezha, confirmed the plans, which will be Transaero’s second route to the Czech Republic as it already services Pardubice. Speaking to The HUB at World Routes, he explained the airline has been in negotiations with the Czech Republic over the route for the last three years, and hopes to finalise the agreement next month.

“We have to go to the ministry in the Czech Republic next month, and once everything is finalised we hope to launch in the summer of 2015. There is also an agreement that the capacity on the aircraft used will not be more than 200 seats, so we will likely use a Boeing 737-800. Russians enjoy visiting Prague so we expect it to prove popular if it gets the go ahead,” he explained.

Delezha also explained at World Routes that the main focus of the airline's strategy next year: “The future strategy is to expand our market share in the Russian domestic market and in the CIS. Last year the carrier handled 12.5 million passengers, on more than 200 routes, on a fleet of 101 aircraft.

“In August and September it is set to be the first time the Russian domestic market overtakes the international market for the number of passengers," noted Delezha. He also added that Transaero has not been hugely affected by the uncertainty in the Ukraine, and it is “business as usual” although it has had to suspend flights to Donetsk in eastern Ukraine due the troubles.

Richard Maslen

Richard Maslen has travelled across the globe to report on developments in the aviation sector as airlines and airports have continued to evolve and…