In 2023, the number of flights between Russia and China will increase manifold. Such a forecast on Monday, February 27, gives Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.
The agency expects not only an increase in flights to China, but also an increase in the number of passengers transported between Russia and China. This will be facilitated by the lifting of restrictions on crossing the border by the Chinese side, which previously operated due to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the restoration of the procedure for organizing visa-free travel for groups of tourists.
For flights abroad, Russian airlines have 182 foreign-made aircraft. Among them are long-haul flights, which have no restrictions and legal risks for international flights. The agency notes that the number of such aircraft continues to grow due to the purchase by Russian airlines of aircraft from foreign owners and their transfer to the national register.
Earlier, on February 27, it became known that the three largest Chinese airlines: Sichuan Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines and China Eastern Airlines announced the resumption of flights to Sheremetyevo. On this day, it was reported that a 70% reduction in flights to China would negatively affect the tourist flow.
Since February 6, 2023, China has resumed group tourist trips to Russia.
As noted by the head of the PCT Commission on International Cooperation, Sergei Voitovich, the flow of tourists from China to Russia by the end of 2023 will recover by only 20% compared to the pre-pandemic level. He expressed the opinion that the resumption of Chinese group tours will revive inbound tourism in the Russian Federation, but a massive flow should not be expected: the absence of an agreement on visa-free tourist trips, lack of air travel and other factors interfere.
Later, on February 18, Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui said that China is interested in increasing the number of charter flights to Russia. He noted the need to restore those flights that were operated before the pandemic. Chinese airlines could operate regular and charter flights.
