Russia is increasing its regular flights to Greece from June 10

Russia is stepping up regular flights to ten countries, including Greece, from June 10, and launching them to eight others, the Russian Coronavirus Operations Center told reporters last night.

According to the “RIA-Novosti” agency , flights to Athensςιλλ  increase by two per week, in the context of reciprocity, in total, ie by four, while among the countries included in the flight expansion program are, beside Greece, another two tourist destinations for Russian tourists, Egypt and Qatar, with the addition of one flight per week to the respective capitals, Cairo and Doha.

Earlier, the Operations Center announced that the increase in flights to Turkey will remain “frozen” until June 21, while flights to Croatia, Morocco, Mauritius, Lebanon and Albania will resume to the full or partial “tourist destinations” status.

The tourist demand for Greece cannot be met

As the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) points out with its special reference to Greece, the fact of the increase of flights and the non-interruption of the issuance of entry visas by the Greek side is of course positive, however the demand and the existing pressure on the part of tourists cannot be covered with the existing number of flights between the two countries and “without flights to Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, and Thessaloniki de facto (Greece) will remain closed for mass tourism from Russia” .

Currently (and until June 10, when they are expected to increase) Russia and Greece are connected by direct air with four scheduled weekly flights to Athens, operated every Wednesday and Saturday by Aegean Airways and every Thursday and Saturday by Aeroflot. On Wednesday, the Russian company S7 flies to Thessaloniki with the special freight-passenger flight.

High ticket prices

Restriction of flights has pushed up ticket prices, according to ATOR, which estimates that many flights will be needed daily to meet growing demand, which is partly met by either Russian tourist flights to third countries or the use by the Russian Aeroflot of transatlantic aircraft, capable of carrying more than 300 passengers per flight.

ATP notes that the Greek side and its representatives have repeatedly stated recently that an increase in approved flights is expected and that the issue is being discussed between the two countries, while sources participating in the bilateral negotiations describe the fact that with permission from the competent Authorities of both countries start today so that Russian S7 will fly to Heraklion, Crete and every Friday to Rhodes. Indicative of the high interest of the Russian side for Greek destinations is the fact that, according to the same sources,  Aeroflot has requested the approval of daily special flights to Heraklion and Athens and four times a week to Thessaloniki and is waiting for the relevant response of the CAA , while in total the Russian side has requested 42 weekly flights and the Greek side has requested 88.