Georgia, Russia agree on expanding direct regular flights

Georgian and Russian civil aviation authorities have agreed to expand direct regular flights between the two countries, the Georgian Economy Ministry said on Wednesday.

In addition to Moscow, Georgian air carriers will also be able to conduct flights on a regular basis to six other Russian cities - - St. Petersburg, Samara, Yekaterinburg, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don and Mineralnye Vody, the Georgian Economy Ministry said, citing the new arrangement.

Russian air carriers will also be able to conduct regular flights to Kutaisi and Batumi, along with Tbilisi, it added. On the frequency of flights, the Economy Ministry said, the agreement envisages 18 flights per week from each side on the Tbilisi-Moscow route during the winter period and 21 in summer.

The agreement was reached as a result of a series of meetings between civil aviation authorities of the two countries, which have been held in Tbilisi with the participation of the Georgian Foreign Ministry officials and with the presence of Swiss diplomats, according to the Economy Ministry.

Switzerland acts as a diplomatic mediator between Russia and Georgia since the two countries have cut diplomatic relations after the August 2008 war.

Russia cut regular direct air flights with Georgia in October 2006, following a spy row between the two countries. The flights were restored in March 2008, but were again suspended after the August war.

In 2010, the Georgian Airways and Russia's Sibir Airlines launched flights, which were formally dubbed as "charter" flights, but were actually conducted on a regular basis. Regular direct flights were resumed in October 2014, but only on the Tbilisi- Moscow route. Endite