News From CIS & The Middle East

Richard Maslen November 10, 2011

easyJet Reports London – Tel Aviv Traffic

UK budget carrier easyJet has revealed it has carried more than 215,000 passengers on its route between London Luton and Tel Aviv since it was launched two years ago in November 2009. The airline initially operated this route four times daily but increased the frequency to a daily schedule earlier this year. easyJet is the only low-fare carrier on the route and says its ‘affordable’ fares are the reason for its success. In the past year an estimated 710,000 O&D passengers have travelled between the UK and Tel Aviv, with easyJet holding a 16.5 per cent share of this traffic.

Vladivostok Air to Switch Moscow Flights

Russian carrier Vladivostok Air is to transfer its flights into the capital Moscow from Vnukovo to Sheremetyevo Airport from February 1, 2012. This is part of the airline’s integration into the Aeroflot Group and the wider consolidation of the airline market in the country. The airline currently serves Moscow from three destinations with a six times weekly service from Vladivostok, a five times weekly link from Khabarovsk, and a weekly operation from Abakan.

Czech Airlines Adds New Russian Link from Karlovy Vary

Czech Airlines has inaugurated flights between Karlovy Vary and the Russian city of Samara. The national carrier and SkyTeam member is offering a weekly Airbus A319 rotation on the route, supplementing its existing links to Moscow and St Petersburg from the spa city in western Bohemia, approximately 80 miles west of the capital Prague. Czech Airlines currently offers three flights per week on the Moscow route and a single weekly rotation to St Petersburg.

Fujairah Start-up to Reveal Plans at Dubai Air Show

United Arab Emirates (UAE) start-up Eastern Express is expected to reveal its operational plans during the forthcoming Dubai Air Show, according to media reports. The airline is a joint venture between Al Hajjar Aviation and Abulhoul Aviation and is expected to initially offer double daily domestic links to Abu Dhabi before expanding into other GCC markets.